Whiplash
by kwityerbeliaken
Summary: In his effort to help his friend Yamaguchi in matters of love, Tsukishima inordinately finds himself falling for someone. Problem is, it's the one girl he shouldn't be falling for. Read if you like Yachi worship and cute lil' anime tropes.
1. Studying

Goddammit I keep doing these obscure pairings  
sorry not sorry  
.: anime spoilers, for those who may have not read the manga :.

"Today's the day. I'm gonna ask her out," for a voice that was usually wavered and shaky, this strong, uncharacteristically solid tone was a stark contrast to the freckled teen's norm. He was walking down the hallway during lunch alongside his best friend, accompanying the taller blond teen's report delivering duty. Tadashi's fingers fiddled with a paper airplane he'd fashioned sometime during physics, littered all over with Yachi's name on it. He was folding corners and straightening edges to help it fly, keeping his hands busy to numb down the nerves. He'd never asked out a girl in all his life. But meeting her on the roof was... well, there was no turning back.

His childhood friend, Tsukishima, wasn't as convinced. He rolled his eyes and huffed as they walked alongside each other down the hallway during lunch, headphones resting around his neck. "This is the seventh time you told me this, and nothing's happened. Your shitty resolve is giving me whiplash." He kept passive even when an undignified squeak left his friend.

" _Whiplash?! C-C'mon_ , it hasn't been seven times. Oh God." Yamaguchi nearly smashed his airplane in his hands, smoothing it back out and lifting it up on his palm to ascertain balance, before going back to the mental drawing board to fix it. "We have nationals coming up soon. And I want to tell her how I feel before then."

"Isn't that _really_ bad timing?" The blond intervened, for once caring enough to speak his mind. "If she dumps you, you won't be able to focus. And if she _does_ accept, you still won't be able to focus."

The brunette grinned happily, as he did when he knew Tsukishima was on his side. "Wasn't volleyball _just a club_?" He managed to earn a groan out of teasing his friend, continuing as he pinched the bottom of his paper aircraft. "If she says 'no'... then I'll just work that much harder on volleyball to get over her." He really wasn't excited for that possibility, and it showed openly on his features as he gave his wrist a few practice flicks. "If she says 'yes', then it's all the more reason to do my best. It's the perfect time."

"I just can't... _wait_ anymore."

Tsukishima didn't agree with that. _Not_ waiting was stupid. Trying something that wasn't one hundred percent certain was a waste of time. Yamaguchi used to be careful, because he was afraid of failing. Kei himself was just shaking off the fear of trying too hard and looking like an idiot doing it. But still, Tsukishima didn't see the point in Yamaguchi asking a girl out right on the verge of nationals, when it wasn't certain how things would turn out.

They'd surpassed Aoba Johsai, and then defeated Shiratorizawa, defying the odds. Yamaguchi's efforts had made a marginal difference in their games. But as a pinch server, he was slowly starting to understand the full effect of his contribution and how it worked to lift up his team each time he filled in for a serve. He wanted his team to depend on him.

Yamaguchi wanted _her_ to depend on him.

Tsukishima had seen this growth and maturation in his friend, all from a team that was supposed to be _just a club_. But now that Yamaguchi was gaining confidence, nothing could stop him. A single fingertip nudged the rim of his glasses upward, the middle blocker maintaining his apathetic attitude by the way he carried himself and spoke. "Speaking of _waiting_... somebody else might just move in and steal her from you." Yamaguchi hadn't thought of that, someone else crushing on _his_ crush. His entire body chilled, and Tsukishima had to employ maximum effort to stifle laughter. "... If she's as cute as you say," he added, almost wishing he hadn't.

"She _is_ that cute," he decided to answer, not dignifying the thought of a rival. The taller teen didn't really want to hear Yamaguchi's rambling about this special girl, so he reached up and slid his headphones in place, blasting the tune of the day. Yamaguchi thought in silence, his eyes nervously darting about as he thought about his circumstances.

Yachi Hitoka... she was _alright_ , Tsukishima thought. She was _pretty_ in a way, but if he was comparing looks, Shimizu was a whole deal more attractive. Yachi appealed to Tsukishima about as much as a pitiable little sister would. It always seemed like she was stumbling about, and if you got her on a tangent she could ramble on for hours. Yamaguchi usually listened, but Tsukishima was quick to slip on the headphones.

There was nothing remarkable about her... other than the fact that his best friend was pining over her.

And today, it seemed like she was going to stumble through another bout of practice. The boys were lining up for individual spikes, Sugawara on one end of the net, and Kageyama on the other. Yachi was collecting nearby balls, careful not to go directly for them until spiking was over. She'd already had one too many in the face and didn't want to add any more trips to the infirmary. So, she buzzed around until the drill was over, and then she was lifting as many as she could into her small arms, struggling comically. A ball slipped from her arms, and it seemed like the rest would tumble, but strong hands shot out to support her, taking a few of the balls from her grip.

"Ah! Thanks, Yamaguchi-kun! You always help me out~" Her savior sheepishly smiled back to her, sweeping an arm down to pick up a few more balls on their way to the bin. "It's no biggie... uhh, actually, I wanted to talk to you." He watched her carefully deposit her armful into the bin on wheels, looking up at him expectantly, her smile patient and inviting. Tsukishima spun one volleyball in his hands, looking in another direction, feigning ignorance to the conversation between the usually blithering couple.

"See I was... well, I was _wondering_ if you... had someone you liked."

 _Bingo_. A little straight to the point, but what did Tsukishima know about asking a girl out?

" _Oh!_ U-Uhm, _hahaha_. N-No one at the moment!" Her voice grew a pitch higher in her nervousness, and Tsukishima could see bright red from the corner of his eye.

Yamaguchi looked relieved, sighing as his shoulders relaxed. "Good...! _Ah_ , I mean, not _good_ , uhh, just." Yamaguchi was panicking, Tsukishima knew it couldn't last for long, wondering how the stammering boy could pull this one off. "'Cause _Tsukishima_ wanted to know. Just helping out a friend, you know."

 _What a lying sack of shit!  
_

Tsukishima stopped pretending that he wasn't listening, his eyes eerily dragging their way up to the back of Yamaguchi's head.

"He's a liiiiittle shy when it comes t-to this stuff, so he wanted _me_ to ask you for him..." Even he didn't know what exactly was going through his mind, but he just felt like he _had_ to take the attention off himself, even if it meant telling a very, very naughty lie.

At first, Yachi's blush lessened, her eyebrows screwed together in thought. Then, her face crumbled into pure, unadulterated embarrassment and her face felt like it was on fire. Tsukishima had seen enough, approaching the two, his hand slamming down on Yamaguchi's shoulder.

His sports glasses had a dark sheen to them, his tone low as he leaned over. "Ya. Ma. Gu. _Chi_." The terror in his voice was real, and a silent shriek caught in Yamaguchi's throat. "What in the _Hell_ are you trying to pull here?" He growled, yanking on Yamaguchi's gym shirt.

"I-I don't have anyone I like at the moment!" Yachi repeated in a half shout, her face lowered, hands balled up in her jersey. Tsukishima paused at that, confused, before he released Yamaguchi's shirt. He realized that he was supposed to react somehow, his thin eyebrows furrowed. "... Okay."

She settled then, a shy smile decorating her small lips. Tsukishima's brow twitched in annoyance.

"You're fixing this. You're telling her that _you're_ the one who wanted to know." He'd been quiet until they walked home together, waiting with his headphones around his neck, which meant he had something to say. And _boy_ did he have plenty to say.

"I'm _really_ sorry, Tsukki! But I just - - I don't know, I freaked out! Majorly!" Yamaguchi did look apologetic, and desperate among other things. "How'm I supposed to tell her that I lied?!" He whined, receiving a kick in the back of his leg from a ticked off best friend.

"I don't _care_ , this is your problem, and I'll be damned if practice is gonna be all awkward again. She couldn't even look me in the _eye_ , and when she thought I _wasn't_ looking, she was staring like crazy."

" _Please_ Tsukishima, I know it's awkward but I... _really_ need your help. Just until I gather the courage to tell her how I really feel."

"Don't give a damn. I _don't_ give a damn. I really couldn't give a damn, Yamaguchi." This had probably been the most angry Yamaguchi had seen him since he discovered that Jurassic World two wasn't coming out until 2018.

"I'll... get that CD for you! The one you want to pre-order. I'll even get 2-day shipping on it!"

Tsukishima completely stopped in his tracks, and his face seemed to be souring even further. But Yamaguchi knew he'd hit the jackpot.

He wrinkled his nose, eyes averting, "... One day shipping. And I want the deluxe version."

"TSUKKI! You're a godsend!" Yamaguchi clung to his friends shoulders, clapping his hands down on them animatedly.

* * *

Yachi didn't know _what_ to think after practice today. She'd always thought she annoyed the living daylights out of Tsukishima. It didn't seem like there was a thing in the world that _didn't_ annoy Tsukishima, apart from his music. Arriving home alone, she quietly set her things down, still repeating in her head what Yamaguchi had told her. Tsukishima wanted to know who she liked. But he was too _shy_ to ask on her own. Didn't it mean that he... "Haha~" Yachi never had any one boy in her mind until now, thinking about the blond teen nervously asking his freckled friend for help. Could such a cool-mannered, snarky teen feel things like _nervous_? He probably didn't display it the same way. He looked so _angry_ at practice... but maybe that's just how he looked?

She could think about it all night if she didn't have to sleep. Yachi attempted to compile in her mind all the interactions she'd ever had with Tsukishima, and really they didn't amount to much. She'd offer him water, or a towel, and he'd take it with a 'thanks' or a 'no thanks' if needed. He saved her face from a few stray spikes, but then again the whole team's receiving skills improved because of the ball magnet of an assistant manager they possessed. They spoke together on a few occasions, and she'd even met his really nice older brother. Sometimes they worked together to help Hinata and Kageyama study, but those chances were few and far in between. But he... did he really grow a fondness for her? She smiled until her cheeks hurt, happy that someone thought about her enough to care who she liked.

Tsukishima wasn't really fond of lying to the gullible girl, but he figured the deluxe edition CD one day after its release was a pretty fair price to pay for the short trip to Hell afterward. More likely than not, she'd realize that he wasn't really into her. And if need be, he'd clarify it when the time came. At least, he didn't think at this point he was leading her on. He greatly underestimated her imagination as it ran freely.

And the next day, when Yamaguchi suggested the three of them head a studying group together, he respectfully declined. Or, not so respectfully.

"It's just for those two volleyball morons, right? No way." He sat on the top of his desk, a book in his lap, cramming for the next lesson before it began. Tsukishima was of course referring to the odd ball combo, Hinata and Kageyama, who'd come earlier to their class just to beg for help. The redhead _tried_ begging at least, the _King of the Court_ mumbling something and shrugging his shoulders. Yachi was standing next to Yamaguchi, who smiled apologetically at her.

"You're telling me you don't need help with English? Yachi's _really good_ at it. Her mom's been abroad and stuff," Yamaguchi nudged Tsukishima's shoulder, who looked up from his book to watch her from above the rim of his glasses, seeing how she fiddled with her books. "I-I'm okay at it, but... I don't do as well with... physics. And I don't think I'll be able to teach Hinata and Kageyama-kun all that well." Oi, no honorific for that dumb, orange, volleyball head? Since when had they gotten that close?

"You've got the highest scores out of all of us for physics, right Tsukki? And I'm halfway decent with math and lit. So, we've got all our bases covered." Yamaguchi was very plainly pleading with Tsukishima to go along with him. But he had no clue how this was supposed to help Yamaguchi in anyway become closer to Yachi, not with Hinata and Kageyama around.

"... Since those weirdos aren't really bringing anything to the table, _they've_ gotta buy snacks," he finally ceded, pretending to ignore the way Yachi's face lit up.

"Then we can study at my place! I've got a big living room." Yachi was happy to supply her home, wanting to at least do that much since Tsukishima was wiling to help. He gave a soft nod, breathing out something of a laugh at the near terrified look on Yamaguchi's face. "Don't _you_ look happy," he could only imagine what was going through the tanned male's mind, all the nervousness that swelled within him just because he was going to some _girl's_ house. Tsukishima'd never be that lame, he promised to himself.

"Guuwaaaah! I can't think anymore! Seriously, my brain's about to explode! Like KABLAM!" Hinata clapped his hands over his cheeks and fell back against the couch behind him, sighing resignedly. The five of them sat on the floor around a large coffee table, with couches surrounding them. They'd been at it for a good hour, the three more _academically inclined_ ones rounding up the diminished attention spans of Hinata and Kageyama, managing to make some headway into a good study session. Tsukishima didn't expect Hinata to last this long, but Yachi was quick to pull him back into gear each time. She almost seemed a little _too_ attentive to Hinata, but sure enough whenever Tsukishima pretended to be busy with something else, he could feel those big, brown eyes of hers on his. Why did he care about who she was looking at anyway?

"One more onomatopoeia and I'll throw you out Hinata, I swear to god." Tsukishima had been picking on Hinata a little extra today, more likely than not because he couldn't get Hinata to understand the basic concepts of physics. Whenever _Yachi_ explained something to him, however, he soaked it up like a sponge. Tsukishima refused to believe that it was anything other than Hinata's idiocy that had the two butting heads.

"Onotomato... what?" Hinata's cheeks puffed out, ready to engage his teammate who was much taller. Yachi sat on the other side of Hinata, her hand raised to calm him down. "Why don't we take a break? You and Kageyama-kun were gonna get snacks, right?"

"Oh yeah! Let's go." He was easily derailed off the confrontation by her sweet voice, soon goading Kageyama into a race to the convenient store.

"Yamaguchi. You're going with them," Tsukishima stated like fact, watching his friend deflate at once. The sadistic teen simply leaned back against the couch, his arms stretching over the seat. "Someone's got to make sure they don't buy anything weird. Yachi, what do you want to drink?" He tipped his head toward hers as she sat fussing over the items on the table, looking up from her organization to now fuss about what she wanted to drink. "O-Oh! Um, green tea's fine!"

"Same." Tsukishima waved with a smile to Yamaguchi, who looked like he'd rather be the one to stay home alone with Yachi, but he knew how much he owed Tsukishima for this and wouldn't question him. _  
_

Once the front door clicked shut, the realization that they were alone hit the two of them in the silence. Yachi cleared her throat, relaxing from her knees and onto her tush, her legs extending underneath the table. Her sock covered toes accidentally brushed up against his, and with a start she looked like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. "S-Sorry!"

"'s okay." He suppressed a roll of his eyes, which took a lot of restraint, letting out a soft sigh as she looked down at her lap, seemingly at a loss. Things were quiet, except for the fidgeting on her part, Tsukishima nearly ready to ride it out until the other three returned. But finally, she spoke up.

"I know I'm a little slow to understand it, but... thanks for helping me with physics." She nodded her head in a little bow, attempting to show her polite appreciation.

"Oh. Did I? Feel like I was busing around those two idiots the whole time." He clicked his tongue, sitting up with one knee bent, leisurely leaning his arm over it. "I'm surprised you've been learning anything with those thickheaded guys shouting." He was just full of insults for the two, which had become commonplace for him. At least, he'd never expect her to stand up for them.

But she _did_ look uncomfortable, like she was struggling with something. "Please don't talk about them that way. They really... try their best." She didn't look as resolved as her voice sounded, which caught Tsukishima by surprise. He immediately frowned and turned his head the other way, fuming for no other reason than he'd just been scolded, by a girl who could barely stand up for herself. More awkward silence, until he relented.

"... Sorry. Forgot how much you liked that dumba - - " He caught himself, grunting a little as he ushered out, "Hinata."

She shook her head quickly, eager to forgive. "It's... okay. He's just a really important friend to me." Her smile fell into her lap, her hands folding neatly atop it. For some reason, her closeness with Hinata was bugging him. And nothing he could do or say could lessen Hinata in her eyes.

"You defend all your friends like that?" Tsukishima asked.

"Of course! A-And if anyone ever said anything bad about you, well... I wouldn't go easy on _them_ either!" Her hands balled into tiny fists and she held them determinedly to her chest. The look of pure willpower on her face didn't really suit her. But he laughed all the same, the happy sound lightening the atmosphere around them, until her broad grin nearly blinded him.

"... Actually, there _was_ a question I didn't get to ask, about our homework..." She leaned forward to open up her textbook, before looking up at him from underneath her eyelashes. "Would you... help me with it? Is that okay?"

Usually, her reluctance would annoy him, but he couldn't find it in himself to get annoyed now, simply leaning over the table. "Yeah. What's your question?"

Maybe he should've realized the affect sitting close would have on her, but as it was he scooted closer, his hand planted near the other side of her waist, his chest all but an inch from touching her back as he leaned over. She froze, and the flushed status of her face said it all. She dared not turn around and make eye contact from the little distance between them, so she squeaked out her question as her fingers nervously flittered through the pages.

"Th-This one! About... combining... the laws of motion." Her finger pointed to the exact question, and soon his own finger joined hers, his larger one brushing against her smaller one. She flinched, and it took all Tsukishima not to laugh again. Despite how much he loved provoking Kageyama, he didn't deem it necessary to rile her up any. Instead, he retracted his hand from the other side of her waist and gave her some more space, softly explaining the question aloud to her. He noticed that her shoulders slumped at one point, and the sidelong glance at her face revealed that she'd gained some semblance of concentration and seriousness back.

She let the information soak in before her pencil was moving, and Tsukishima gave her even more space, relaxing back on his hands, watching the comprehension bloom over her face in a pretty smile. "I think I got it this time! You're really a whiz at this subject! Thank you." Her smile shone brightest when it was directed at him, and in hiding his embarrassment his hand shot up to quickly adjust his glasses, half covering his face. "It's nothing special," he replied curtly, feeling flustered for a split second before the cool found him again, and she was quietly working on the rest of her homework.

The continuous sound of her pencil, scribbling soft on paper, had a sedative effect on him. The taller teen found himself leaning against the front of the couch, reclining until his head rested on top of the cushion, his hands plopping in his lap as he closed his eyes, waiting on the noisier ones.

Of course, he wasn't tired enough to sleep in such an uncomfortable position. So, when he felt an added layer of warmth on top of him, his consciousness pulled back to the front of his mind. The material was painstakingly pulled over his broad shoulders, before the contact was lost and hands were off of him. It took him a few seconds to open his eyes, letting them flicker down on the blanket now covering him, and back to the girl whose sitting silhouette blurred as he succumbed to the warmth of the blanket.

"HORRRAH! I won, Hinata, admit it!" The door slammed open, startling the two teens at once, and soon two bickering crows were at each others throats, convenience store bags in tow. Tsukishima groggily sat up, face seemingly set in a permanent scowl as Yachi stood to help them with the snacks, and hopefully ease their obnoxious run of insults before it escalated any further. Yamaguchi jogged in moments after them, panting and hunched over, hands on his knees. " _They_... _hahh_... _ran_... _the entire_... ngh... _way_." The blond male briefly felt for him, before he was sitting up fully, blanket falling into his lap. Decidedly he draped it over his shoulders, the comforter reaching the back of his knees as he joined the group to pick out his own requested snack.

Hinata looked at the pink blanket over Tsukishima's shoulders, snorting. "Nice blanket, _Tsukki_."

Yachi flushed, hands balled up at her chest as she looked back at the tallest male. "W-Well, Tsukishima-kun was resting while you were gone, so I just kinda pulled it off my bed - - "

" _Bed?!_ " Yamaguchi gulped, eying the blanket longingly as Tsukishima held it, Yachi missing the interaction as Hinata distracted her with chocolate. Tsukishima grinned at his friend, holding one corner of the blanket up to his own face.

"Jealous? It smells good."

" _So_ jealous... hey, that's no fair!" The freckled teen all but sobbed, making Tsukishima genuinely laugh as he kept the treasure Yamaguchi so valued all to himself. The scent on the soft material was soft and sweet, nothing like the marked hint of a boy, and he himself showed no hints of returning the gift until it was time to leave.

"Thanks Yachi, for everythiing!" Hinata called with a wave, Kageyama ducking in some sort of nod, as if that were sufficient enough thanks for all the hard work she'd put into tutoring them. So Hinata slapped him upside the head, which resulted in Kageyama yanking him by the front of his shirt, and Yachi consequently trying to tame them. "Uhh, hey. Where do I put this?" Yachi glanced over her shoulder at the deep voice calling for her attention, seeing the blanket she'd offered folded up in the recipients arms. She smiled for him, again, and held her hands out for it, stepping forward and taking hold of it in a sort of cute hug. "I'll put it back! You folded it so neatly. Thanks~" The bundle looked too big for her arms, and Tsukishima felt the childish need to make fun of her for it, when Yamaguchi's voice spoke up, and Tsukishima realized he needed to clear the two morons out of there so they could speak alone.

"C'mon odd-duo, you're blocking the entryway. Get a room." He shoved until the setter and fellow middle blocker were stumbling out the entryway, Tsukishima following. It'd be troublesome if those two found out about Yamaguchi's feelings for their assistant manager. Well, Kageyama was denser than all Hell, so he wouldn't be a problem. But Hinata might blab about it and Yamaguchi's already fragile confidence would get shot.

So he waited at the entrance of Yachi's apartment complex, watching the two others leave before the brunette joined him. "I'm guessing you talked? Took long enough."

"Yeah. I..." Yamaguchi looked sullen, and Tsukishima stopped in his tracks, diverting his whole attention to him. "I told her the truth. That it wasn't _you_ that... wanted to know who she liked. That it was _me_."

Eyes widened beneath black rimmed glasses, and even he was feeling his heart beat hard. How had she reacted? He was _so_ glad he'd decided to book it when he did. "And?" he asked breathlessly, body poised and rigid.

Yamaguchi grinned goofily, raising a thumbs up. _"And_ I asked her on a date. She said _yes_."

There was tangible relief flooding through him, and in a fit of sudden, anticlimactic anger, Tsukishima punched his friend in the shoulder. "Just tell me from the start, you jerk. You nearly scared my _tits_ off coming down, looking like that."

The slightly shorter male was all smiles, undaunted by his friend's little burst of anger. The two tarted walking side by side, Tsukishima calming down the more he thought. So he hadn't a thing to worry about. Maybe she'd stop acting so self-conscious around him now that she knew the truth. It was awkward, having her stare all the time. And she'd accepted him. So maybe she'd liked Yamaguchi after all?

"Oh! There's just... one thing." Yamaguchi added, coming down from his high to rub underneath his nose sheepishly. "I said _you_ would be coming too."

Tsukishima had already punched once, and doing it again took more effort than he had at the moment. " _How is that even a date?"_ he instead grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Glad that Tsukishima hadn't outright rejected the idea, the pinch server resumed his giddy transcendence.

* * *

The three of them were _supposed to_ take the train to the neighboring city, where a new attraction at an interactive museum had just recently opened. They were _supposed to_ meet at the train station at eight o' clock on Sunday morning. Tsukishima had no intention of going, planning on texting some excuse just before the train left, so that Yamaguchi and Yachi had no choice but to leave him behind and go together. Those two were _supposed to_ initiate the start of their high school romance.

But ' _supposed to'_ wasn't definite, and fifteen minutes before the promised meeting time, Tsukishima was awakened by his ringtone.

He wriggled out from underneath his blankets, his long arm shooting up to capture his phone from the desk in one fell swoop, bringing it back underneath the covers, the metallic phone uncomfortably cold in his sleep warmed hands. He squinted at the bright light, trying to read without his glasses.

His voice was low and sleep ruddied, reading aloud in monotone. "Can't... make it... _caught a cold_. Please tell Yachi-san... sorry, Tsukki." His body jolted in the bed, scrambling for his glasses to reread the text sent to him. And reread it, until he was satisfied he'd gotten the message, and he was quickly stumbling out of bed to throw on clothes.

"Damn it, Yamaguchi!" His head of blond hair popped through the neckline of a long sleeved shirt, hopping around until his jeans were on, following with a fur-lined coat and a scarf quickly thrown about his neck. Leave it to Yamaguchi to mess up his own first date, and then not have the foresight to get Yachi's number, who was probably waiting out in front of the train station, cold and panicking because no one else had shown up yet. The fact that Yamaguchi assumed Tsukishima would already be there and would be able to tell her himself proved that he put too much stock in Tsukishima.

For one of the few times in Tsukishima's life, he ran with all his might, sprinting past the sharp ache in his lungs as cold air perfused in. He allowed no reprieve as he wove around the street corners, all because of a girl who was kind enough to share her blanket and her living room with a snob that had fully intended to stand her up today.

The last thing separating him from the train station was a steep hill, of all things. _Fuck_ did he hate running. His long legs carried him up there slower than he thought, and his pale skin was spotted with red from the exertion, beads of sweat sticking his short hair to his head, the heat his cheeks produced fogging up his glasses. He could see her there though, seeing the blurry little shape tense and start jogging his way to meet him, concern tangible in her voice as she called out for him. "Tsukishima-kun!"

"Yama..." He stopped right in front of her, the momentum nearly swinging his body right into hers, but thankfully the two of them stopped before collision. He caught his breath, throat achingly dry as he swallowed. "Yamaguchi's sick. He's not coming." He looked up from his feet, seeing the surprise and concern flood through her. He also noticed the feminine, buttoned cardigan that draped down over her waist and ended where the skirt of her sundress started, and the thick tights underneath. Was this what she wore on a date? Did she wear this for Yamaguchi? "I hope he's okay..." She thought aloud, before she was reaching in the bag she had over her shoulder, rummaging through until she pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to the blond across from her. "We should go visit him after, bring him a treat to help him get better!"

"Huh?" He took the small square of folded cloth, bringing it up to his brow to wipe in smooth strokes, blotting around the sides of his face until the moisture was wicked. "What do you mean _after_?" Wasn't today's plan ruined?

Her hand dropped back down to her side, and she was soon gripping the straps of her bag, hope leaving her. "Oh. Yeah. It wouldn't make sense to... go without Yamaguchi-kun, right? Since you don't..." She let it hang there, and Tsukishima filled in the blanks. _Since I don't like her._ Seeing how downcast she seemed reminded him of the awkward predicament Yamaguchi had placed them in. And on top of that, what was _supposed_ to be a fun date was now an awkward exchange between her and someone who didn't actually have a crush on her, and seemingly didn't want a thing to do with her.

Tsukishima didn't know the first thing about girls, or what they liked. He didn't know much about Yachi, either.

"Let's go. We're gonna miss the train."

Her eyes flew up to him straightaway, astonishment escaping her in a funny noise. " _Eh?!_ "

He rolled his eyes, gently nudging past her as he walked toward the station. He was one foot away, then five, before Yachi realized he was walking toward the entrance. "You coming or not?" He called without so much as a glance behind him, feeling his footsteps slow once he heard her scrambling after him. The two waited silently for the train, or as silently as her little fretting would allow, and he watched her absorb all of this from the corner of his eye.

She was a little more nervous than Yamaguchi. But there were times when she could be firm too, like him. They could support each other, Tsukishima thought.

So he was totally determining that this would be nothing more than a _gathering_. Just two people hanging out. He'd accompany her to the museum and take her home. Maybe tell Yamaguchi the details if he was feeling sadistic enough. When the scheduled train arrive, the two joined the scant amount of other passengers and sat down, the large bag she carried separating them on the seats. He looked, down at the bag and up at her, vaguely not surprised that her eyes were already on his. "What's in the bag?" he asked nonchalantly, his long legs stretching out and crossing at the ankles, leaning back against the seat with his hands in his pockets. Her hands automatically stuffed into the bag, bringing out a few of the containers she'd packed with a sheepish smile. "I figured... we'd get hungry with all that exploring. So, I made lunch!"

 _God, Yamaguchi would die if he knew what he was missing_. Tsukishima felt more annoyed that she'd been carrying such a heavy bag this whole time, though he knew his friend would happily eat anything if his darling _Yachi_ made it for him. "That is a _lot_ of lunch. You didn't have to go to all that trouble," he spoke under his breath, watching her place the items back into the bag, leaning over to see all that she'd packed. That sounded a little more rude than he intended it, though he was trying to thank her, but she took no offense; far from it, in fact. She was grinning sweetly from ear to ear as she neatly readjusted the contents of the bag, sitting back with her hands in the lap, chin lifted proudly. "It was _no_ trouble! I've gotten _pre_ -tty good cooking for myself." She bragged without a shred of holding back. Tsukishima snorted.

"You


	2. Date

The three of them were _supposed to_ take the train to the neighboring city, where a new attraction at an interactive museum had just recently opened. They were _supposed to_ meet at the train station at eight o' clock on Sunday morning. Tsukishima had no intention of going, planning on texting some excuse just before the train left, so that Yamaguchi and Yachi had no choice but to leave him behind and go together. Those two were _supposed to_ initiate the start of their high school romance.

But ' _supposed to'_ wasn't definite, and fifteen minutes before the promised meeting time, Tsukishima was awakened by his ringtone.

He wriggled out from underneath his blankets, his long arm shooting up to capture his phone from the desk in one fell swoop, bringing it back underneath the covers, the metallic phone uncomfortably cold in his sleep warmed hands. He squinted at the bright light, trying to read without his glasses.

His voice was low and sleep ruddied, reading aloud in monotone. "Can't... make it... _caught a cold_. Please tell Yachi-san... sorry, Tsukki." His body jolted in the bed, scrambling for his glasses to reread the text sent to him. And reread it, until he was satisfied he'd gotten the message, and he was quickly stumbling out of bed to throw on clothes.

"Damn it, Yamaguchi!" His head of blond hair popped through the neckline of a long sleeved shirt, hopping around until his jeans were on, following with a fur-lined coat and a scarf quickly thrown about his neck. Leave it to Yamaguchi to mess up his own first date, and then not have the foresight to get Yachi's number, who was probably waiting out in front of the train station, cold and panicking because no one else had shown up yet. The fact that Yamaguchi assumed Tsukishima would already be there and would be able to tell her himself proved that he put too much stock in Tsukishima.

For one of the few times in Tsukishima's life, he ran with all his might, sprinting past the sharp ache in his lungs as cold air perfused in. He allowed no reprieve as he wove around the street corners, all because of a girl who was kind enough to share her blanket and her living room with a snob that had fully intended to stand her up today.

The last thing separating him from the train station was a steep hill, of all things. _Fuck_ did he hate running. His long legs carried him up there slower than he thought, and his pale skin was spotted with red from the exertion, beads of sweat sticking his short hair to his head, the heat his cheeks produced fogging up his glasses. He could see her there though, seeing the blurry little shape tense and start jogging his way to meet him, concern tangible in her voice as she called out for him. "Tsukishima-kun!"

"Yama..." He stopped right in front of her, the momentum nearly swinging his body right into hers, but thankfully the two of them stopped before collision. He caught his breath, throat achingly dry as he swallowed. "Yamaguchi's sick. He's not coming." He looked up from his feet, seeing the surprise and concern flood through her. He also noticed the feminine, buttoned cardigan that draped down over her waist and ended where the skirt of her sundress started, and the thick tights underneath. Was this what she wore on a date? Did she wear this for Yamaguchi? "I hope he's okay..." She thought aloud, before she was reaching in the bag she had over her shoulder, rummaging through until she pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to the blond across from her. "We should go visit him after, bring him a treat to help him get better!"

"Huh?" He took the small square of folded cloth, bringing it up to his brow to wipe in smooth strokes, blotting around the sides of his face until the moisture was wicked. "What do you mean _after_?" Wasn't today's plan ruined?

Her hand dropped back down to her side, and she was soon gripping the straps of her bag, hope leaving her. "Oh. Yeah. It wouldn't make sense to... go without Yamaguchi-kun, right? Since you don't..." She let it hang there, and Tsukishima filled in the blanks. _Since I don't like her._ Seeing how downcast she seemed reminded him of the awkward predicament Yamaguchi had placed them in. And on top of that, what was _supposed_ to be a fun date was now an awkward exchange between her and someone who didn't actually have a crush on her, and seemingly didn't want a thing to do with her.

Tsukishima didn't know the first thing about girls, or what they liked. He didn't know much about Yachi, either.

"Let's go. We're gonna miss the train."

Her eyes flew up to him straightaway, astonishment escaping her in a funny noise. " _Eh?!_ "

He rolled his eyes, gently nudging past her as he walked toward the station. He was one foot away, then five, before Yachi realized he was walking toward the entrance. "You coming or not?" He called without so much as a glance behind him, feeling his footsteps slow once he heard her scrambling after him. The two waited silently for the train, or as silently as her little fretting would allow, and he watched her absorb all of this from the corner of his eye.

She was a little more nervous than Yamaguchi. But there were times when she could be firm too, like him. They could support each other, Tsukishima thought.

So he was totally determining that this would be nothing more than a _gathering_. Just two people hanging out. He'd accompany her to the museum and take her home. Maybe tell Yamaguchi the details if he was feeling sadistic enough. When the scheduled train arrive, the two joined the scant amount of other passengers and sat down, the large bag she carried separating them on the seats. He looked, down at the bag and up at her, vaguely not surprised that her eyes were already on his. "What's in the bag?" he asked nonchalantly, his long legs stretching out and crossing at the ankles, leaning back against the seat with his hands in his pockets. Her hands automatically stuffed into the bag, bringing out a few of the containers she'd packed with a sheepish smile. "I figured... we'd get hungry with all that exploring. So, I made lunch!"

 _God, Yamaguchi would die if he knew what he was missing_. Tsukishima felt more annoyed that she'd been carrying such a heavy bag this whole time, though he knew his friend would happily eat anything if his darling _Yachi_ made it for him. "That is a _lot_ of lunch. You didn't have to go to all that trouble," he spoke under his breath, watching her place the items back into the bag, leaning over to see all that she'd packed. That sounded a little more rude than he intended it, though he was trying to thank her, but she took no offense; far from it, in fact. She was grinning sweetly from ear to ear as she neatly readjusted the contents of the bag, sitting back with her hands in the lap, chin lifted proudly. "It was _no_ trouble! I've gotten _pre_ -tty good cooking for myself." She bragged without a shred of holding back. He didn't bother to ask how she'd gotten so good at cooking. Her mother was rarely home-how else would she eat? He was more interested in her dorky self confidence. Tsukishima snorted.

"And _what_ , exactly, were you planning to do with all that food if we just went home back there?" If he hadn't ushered her onto the train, they wouldn't have gone. She made a face as if she hadn't yet considered that.

"... I would've eaten it all," she lied on the spot.

" _All_? Into that tiny little body?" Tsukishima didn't think about it until after he said it, but it could've come across sexually. However, the girl seemed like she'd never had a sexual thought pass her mind. She was _way_ too ditzy and just... _pure_. She wouldn't have noticed, right?

She instead laughed softly, shaking her head. "Hey, I'm not _that_ tiny. I'm still growing!" Yep, no sex appeal either. Well, at least not in the traditional sense. He couldn't see why Yamaguchi was so eager to do it with her.

The two friends had talked about sex before, though usually it was just Yamaguchi whining about being pent up and having no one to relieve it with. Then when Yachi came in the picture, it was all about how _cute_ she was and how he couldn't wait to _be with her_ like that. And Tsukishima would remind his freckled friend that they still saw each other every day, and Tsukishima really didn't need to envisage Yamaguchi desperately humping the daylights out of their poor, little assistant manager.

But his eyes _did_ wander, though he told himself there was nothing appealing about her, and he couldn't help but wonder if she really could take something large into her smaller body. Or maybe, underneath the jittery exterior, she really _was_ interested in sex.

He'd been in such a hurry that he hadn't the forethought to bring his headphones. So, he actually had to enjoy the pleasure of her company. The girl never ran out of things to talk about, and the awkwardness from earlier was forgotten. By the time their stop had arrived, he was reluctant to leave his seat.

Silently he'd taken the load she'd burdened herself with before she could complain, hanging the pink bag over his shoulder as they walked from the platform. "Kinda surprised Yamaguchi wanted to take you _here_. Isn't it kind of a weird place for a first date?"

"Da- - _Date!?"_ Skittish little laughs leaked from a thoroughly flushed face as Yachi fumbled with her fingers. What, had she forgotten that Yamaguchi confessed? What did she think this was going to be? "I-I don't about what's _normal_ for that kind of thing but... we've talked about this museum before. It's my favorite!" _Oh_. Then Yamaguchi knew what he was doing, moreso than Tsukishima did anyway. His expression softened, thinking about how much care Yamaguchi must've put into arranging this.

Tsukishima's hand landed on her shoulder, earning a little jump out of her before he was positioning her in front of the bright entrance. "Stand here," he ordered curtly, moving closer as he brought his phone out. She looked confused until he lifted his phone and the screen shone with their faces in front of the museum. She gasped in understanding and quickly smiled without any further instruction needed, and Tsukishima was taking the picture.

"Are you going to send that to Yamaguchi-kun?" She asked with her hands folded demurely behind her back, trying to peek at his phone as he held it. "Send it to me too, please~" Yachi added, looking up at him for permission as she fiddled with restraint. Tsukishima gave her a look and took a few steps back, taking a picture of the cutely dressed girl before she could fuss about it.

Both images were sent to Yamaguchi, along with Yachi's phone number, and with her phone number now in tow he was sending her the first picture they took together. She was staring at her phone, obviously too happy for something as insignificant as a photo, but soon she was guiding him into the museum. "I've loved to go here ever since I was a kid! I wanted to show Yamaguchi-kun! And, well, _you_." They bought their tickets upfront, Tsukishima blocking her advances to pay harder than he'd blocked Wakatoshi, since she'd made lunch for them.

The museum was more or less designed for kids. Each exhibit had its own user friendly interface, where touch screens explained different artifacts, and guests were allowed to artificially interact with its component. Yachi was buzzing from one activity to another, and after a few unsuccessful attempts of goading Tsukishima into them, he finally relented. The first was a drawing challenge at the art exhibit of the museum, in which they'd have to draw each other without looking down at the paper below. He fixed his glasses at first, staring coolly at the girl across the table. Tsukishima was in no way blessed with any artistic talent. He doubted there was any way he could transfer the softness of her features onto paper. He wasn't going to get that blond, soft looking hair down anytime soon, either. Nor those big eyes that always seemed like they were... watching him. He felt his gaze drooping down toward the paper, but she caught him with a noise of alarm. "Ah, ah, _ah!_ No looking down!" She scolded halfheartedly, smiling as he frowned at her.

"I wasn't looking down."

"But you _were_!"

His brows furrowed deeper and he leaned over the partition between them, his hand still scribbling down even with his face so near hers. "There. Better?" he looked angry, but there was something light about the tone in his voice. Surprisingly enough, she met his challenge head on, smiling so endearingly he thought something was seriously wrong with his heart.

"Better~" she replied, accepting his challenge by leaning closer herself, until their faces were barely inches apart, if even that. She'd come into it pretty cocky, but soon he was feeling the warmth of her cheeks all but radiate onto his, right as he felt her soft breaths ghosting from her nostrils and onto his skin. It lasted for all of five seconds, Tsukishima trying to keep his stoic expression, and Yachi suppressing laughter, before the happy, bubbly sound leaked out of her, joined by his own grin. She was the first to break eye contact, pulling away from the closeness. " _Hahaha_! I _think_ I'm finished... _"_ She looked down at the results of the activity, cringing away from it with a shocked, " _Erk_! I thought I did better than _that_... How embarrassing~" Tsukishima leaned over the partition, seeing the disassociated lines that oddly enough, looked a lot like him. The glasses looked consistently drawn, though they were inches off the mark of his eyes. The proportions of his face were wrong, but the longer he looked the more he could see how good the drawing would've been had she been able to look down. "Wow. That's actually... pretty good," he muttered in genuine awe.

" _EH_?!" Another surprised sound, louder this time. "B-But it's terrible!" He was still looking even as her hands flew up, waving erratically.

Tsukishima smiled, offering up his own paper. "It's _supposed_ to be."

She looked down at his attempt at drawing, and happy little gasps of laughter left her until her shoulders were trembling, and she was nearly falling out of her seat. There was no way Tsukishima could do anything but smile at that, about to ball up the poorly drawn sketch, when she stopped him, her laughter ceasing but her tone still rich with it. "Can I... keep it?" She asked a little breathlessly, tugging it from his fingers before he could properly respond. What did she want with some crappy drawing anyway? He let her gaze at it some more, withstanding a few of her giggles before he was holding his hand out.

"Then gimme _yours_ , too. It's only fair."

She stared at her own drawing for a few moments, struggling with the fact that she couldn't hand over a _proper_ drawing, only to hand it over at last. "Don't worry. I'm sure this _isn't_ your magnum opus," he comforted, taking hold of the paper and glancing at it more closely, a huff that resembled a laugh, and then he pocketed it.

There was a science exhibit with touch screen periodical charts and seismic activity simulations, a historical one with fake samurai armor and geisha kimono to fit in (though the armor was too small for Kei, and Yachi was teased relentlessly for being able to fit inside the child sized kimono just fine), and others including a music one that Tsukishima actually... _really_ enjoyed. They took a few pictures, but as time went on, he realized just how much he missed Yamaguchi's presence, really wanting to see how he and Yachi would interact in situations like these.

Tsukishima felt... _guilty_ for enjoying himself with her. It should've been _Yamaguchi_ that was eking laughs and those funny, surprised sounds out of her.

They'd saved the last exhibit, which had newly opened. Tsukishima looked up as they approached, seeing the sign up above with the title of the exhibit laid out in fake bones. "Dinosaur... Age."

Yachi looked as if she'd been holding onto a very juicy secret, wiggling around at his side with a cheeky smile. "Yamaguchi _said_ you like dinosaurs!"

Feeling immature for the childish wonder, he reduced himself even further with a small scoff. "Yeah, when I was like, seven."

"Hm~ Not anymore?" Yachi was a lot more familiar than Tsukishima was used to. She'd become more comfortable with him in the short time they'd been together. "I guess we can go back... since it'll be boring for you." She peeked up at him, trying to play it nonchalant.

She was _baiting_ him? Oh no. _She_ was trying to use reverse psychology on _him_?

"Yeah. Let's go, then." If this was a battle of will, Tsukishima would win. He turned without another glance into the exhibit, starting to walk away.

"Ah, w-wait!" she sputtered after him, reaching out and clasping onto his wrist. Kei stopped in his tracks, looking down at the way she desperately held on. "You really... don't want to see it?" She'd been joking earlier, thinking she could tease him, but his reaction had her looking absolutely _crushed_. Tsukishima winced at the tightness in his chest.

"... No, I do." He admitted, pissed that he lost, pissed that he upset her. She still held onto his wrist with both hands, her somber expression turning into confusion. Sighing, "It was a joke. I want to see it."

One smile out of her and relief flooded through him. Why did he put himself through such unnecessary stress?

The dinosaur exhibit _did_ actually have lots of facets that, albeit slightly immature, was really a lot of fun. There were replicas of footprints, leading them through an activity that traced the steps of multiple dinosaurs until they reached a model of the dinosaurs themselves. With each bout, Tsukishima recognized nearly _all_ of them from the hints before they were revealed, which had Yachi _very_ impressed. There was some information about genetics, a 'make your own dinosaur' kind of experiment using different genes, as well as a makeshift ancestry tree that displayed the evolution of dinosaurs into their modern day counterparts.

"Waah... I've learned _so_ much!" The two were finally exiting the exhibit into the gift shop, where an array of museum themed toys and junk were on display. Tsukishima didn't bother hiding his interests any longer, browsing the dinosaur gifts, Yachi accompanying him. "These dinosaur plushies are _so_ _cute_!" She brought a circular, pillow-like T-Rex into her arms, the size of its eyes grossly exaggerated. Tsukishima thought it too big for her arms even then, watching her squeeze it so tightly. "We should get Yamaguchi something, too." Tsukishima thought out loud, earning a broad smile out of Yachi. "You're so thoughtful!"

The glasses-clad teen shrugged, a nostalgic smirk on his face as he poked another stuffed dinosaur in its shelf. "Not really. I just figure... he would've really wanted to be here. With you."

Yachi let it sink in, and along with it her spirits withered. Her face dipped into the pillow, cheeks puffed out cutely in a pout. "Yeah."

Tsukishima's eyebrows shot up. She was concerned about him? He looked down at the stuffed T-Rex in her hands. She really _was_ a good girl. Why shouldn't he believe that she and Yamaguchi could be happy together?

"Don't worry," he spoke after a small pause, shrugging his shoulders. "You'll be able to hang with him lots."

It didn't seem to comfort her at first, but eventually she was nodding, and placing back the stuffed animal with a smile. "Yeah!"

They'd decided on a shirt with a couple dinosaurs holding hands. Yachi thought it was adorable and picked it out right away; Tsukishima couldn't wait to see the conflict on Yamaguchi's face when he was presented with such a corny, embarrassing t-shirt. Oh he'd wear it, since Yachi picked it out for him. But Kei still thought it was hilarious.

While she was in the bathroom, Tsukishima hurried and bought the T-Rex she'd been holding earlier, hiding it in the same bag that held Yamaguchi's shirt. Now the two were heading back to the train station, where they'd ride the train and eat the lunches Yachi had so painstakingly made for the three of them.

Problem was, Yachi prepared _huge_ portions for him, and he wasn't a big eater in the first place.

But it did look good, and he _was_ hungry. "Thanks." A pair of chopsticks ushered in the first bite, and after that, the next bites had fewer and fewer times in between them. After tasting the food, the change in his expression was subtle, but it was noticeable enough. The smaller girl sighed in relief before she started to eat her own.

He'd never thought he'd be sitting next to a girl and eating lunch that she'd prepared for them in advanced. He never thought he'd be having this much _fun_ with a girl. Girls always seemed like a pain; school was easier, hanging out with _Yamaguchi_ was easier. Girls took too much effort, was what he used to think.

Then why did Yachi look so happy? All they were doing was eating side by side, as simple as it got, and she looked like she was ready to burst laughing at any given time.

If it meant going to a museum, or eating one of her lunches... Tsukishima decided it'd be simple enough, if it could make her this happy.

He was surprised to discover that he'd ended up finishing every bite without making his stomach hurt. He'd never enjoyed a lunch so thoroughly before, though he had to admit the little happy noises she made around mouthfuls of food kind of distracted him. In a good way.

His eyes fell upon her while she ate, then they remained, until she was so flustered she couldn't handle it anymore. "I-Is there something on my face?"

Tsukishima looked surprised, a rare expression on him. "Actually, _yeah_."

She looked mortified now, awkwardly setting down her chopsticks to try and find the bit of food. She was unsuccessful, he was still staring at the little bit of sauce on the small dip between her bottom lip and her small chin. It was getting ridiculous the way she was rubbing her napkin over her forehead, so with an irritated sounding huff, he instead scooted closer to her, his thumb raised. "Hold still." He looked down over his glasses, ignoring her stutters as his thumb neared the spot, slowing as she tilted her face up toward his. He dipped his thumb and brushed it over, the tip swiping over her lower lip, before he pulled his thumb away.

Her chin was clean, but his thumb was still raised in front of her. She looked too demure for the thoughts in his head, the ones that surrounded her licking his thumb clean. There was movement in her, but only as she raised her napkin and gently cleaned off his thumb with soft strokes, showing him an embarrassed smile. "Thanks, Tsukishima-kun."

He was still thinking of her smaller tongue lapping over his thumb, but he managed with a, "It's no big deal."

This outing was definitely making him feel weird. He didn't feel too bad when he told her she'd be seeing Yamaguchi alone, though he promised to at least walk her to his house. And then, what he'd been thinking about this whole day started surfacing in his line of questioning. " _Yamaguchi_. I bet he caught you by surprise last time, huh?"

It took a little while for Yachi to understand his meaning, but when she did, her cheeks were quickly filling with color. "He did! And I... I had no idea he felt that way."

"I've known. For a _long_ time." Tsukishima was carrying the bagged souvenirs on one arm, and her personal bag on the other, hands in his pockets as they walked. "I couldn't believe he finally told you. I thought he'd never do it." Tsukishima remarked thoughtfully, turning toward her as he walked.

"And I'm glad he did. You're... a good girl." Yachi paused in her footsteps, slowing to a stop. He did the same. His voice was soft, his expression soft. He'd never felt so small in his life.

"You've already made him _really_ happy. I know he can make you happy too, so... give him a chance. Okay?"

Her expression changed for a split second, and Tsukishima thought she'd looked hurt. But her exceedingly bright smile dissuaded him from the thought any further.

She nodded, looking him straight in the eye. "I'll think seriously about it, Tsukishima-kun. He's... become an important friend to me! And, well... so have you." He felt relieved in this, that such a silly girl could understand how direly he felt about things. He nodded and started to walk again, his pace slow just so she could keep up.

He left her on Yamaguchi's door step, looking a little reluctant.

"I'll... see you at practice," he offered, earning a happily chirped, "See you! I had so much _fun_!"

He stepped back, nodding a little. "Me too."

Handing back her bags, he waited until he was out of sight before texting her about _it_.

 _The T-Rex is for you, not Yamaguchi. You were the one that dealt with me all day, so it's only fair you get something._

He couldn't admit to himself just how excited he was for her reply.

 _WOW! i can't believe you got it for me! you don't know how badly i wanted it!_ _(・｀ω´・) thank you very VERY much, tsukishima-kun! i'll definitely treasure it._

He laughed to himself as he reread it, and all the myriad of emojis she'd sent to convey herself. She didn't need to send them, he could already tell just how happy and bewildered she must've been.


	3. Confession

"You're pretty chipper today."

Tsukishima stopped at the bottom of the stairs, turning back toward his older brother, Akiteru, who leaned against doorway of the living room with his arms folded across his chest, a grin on his face. "Something good happen?"

The younger male's usual annoyed expression flitted back across his face, and Akiteru sighed in exasperation. "Aaand there it goes. C'mon, you can tell your big bro _anything_! Was it a girl? A _cute_ girl?"

"She's not _that_ cute," the teen mumbled, before realizing his error in the way his older brother lit up. "Crap."

"So you _did_ go meet a girl." Akiteru moseyed up to his brother, nudging him with his elbow, only to get shoved back in return. "It wasn't anything like that. Besides, if it _was_ , there's no way I'd tell you."

"You really gonna be mean to the guy that brought home cake?"

"... _What kind_?"

"Your favorite."

And that was how Akiteru led Kei into the kitchen, getting the full picture of how this _outing_ of theirs had gone, with strawberry shortcake as his incentive. Tsukishima talked about the museum and all the activities there were, showing him the picture she drew, describing how stupidly excited she remained throughout each second they were together. Once Akiteru remembered just who she was, he snapped his fingers. "Ahh, Yachi-chan! We met during your game against Shiratorizawa," The older Tsukishima brother mentioned, earning a surprised tone to Kei's glare. "She certainly had a _lot_ to say where you were concerned. I remember thinking, 'Did Kei actually have friends other than Yamaguchi?'" He laughed at his own thoughts, while Kei huffed and puffed, stabbing his fork through a strawberry. "What do you mean, she had a lot to say?" Kei was curious, now.

"Well... I can't remember specifics..." Akiteru took a bite of his own selection. "But all good things. Like she _knew_ you." Even as the elder said it, Kei didn't believe that a girl like her knew him, or what he felt, even if his older brother said so. He took another small bite, shrugging off his scarf. "And she _is_ pretty cute. I don't know what's wrong with you."

Kei laughed with a shrug. "Join the club. Yamaguchi thinks so, too."

His brother was silent for a moment, before leaning in. "Does he like her or something?"

Kei's older had been a little blunt, and Kei wondered if he should really be imparting such information, but with a glance downward he decided there was no harm in it. "Yeah."

More quiet, and Akiteru was thinking. "Does she like him back?"

"How am I supposed to know something like that?" Tsukishima shot back too quickly, catching the annoyance in his voice. Before he could apologize, Akiteru was laughing softly. "Sorry, my bad. Tell me more! You were saying you and her got Yamaguchi something?"

"I'm done. I'm going to my room." Kei calmly drank some of the coffee his brother had made him to go along with the bought treat, withstanding his protests like he'd done since he was a kid. "NO faaair~ You're soo mean to your older brother, Kei~"

"Thanks." Tsukishima did mutter through the undignified wails, which had Akiteru pausing mid-dramatic pose. "For the cake... and for listening." Kei realized then that his brother had always been there to hear him open up, those rare times he did. It wasn't like he couldn't exactly share everything with Yamaguchi, not when it'd probably get him jealous and sad that he couldn't come. Akiteru dropped the back of his hand from his forehead, sitting up straight with a sure nod, and a brotherly smirk. "'Course. She and Yamaguchi should come over sometime."

With a smirk of his own, Kei pushed up his glasses and turned his back. "With you around? Ab-so- _lutely_ not."

He heard a few more whines as he advanced the steps up to his room, closing the door behind him with a bang. He hung up his scarf and coat on the hooks of his closet, thinking about the day's proceedings as he undressed, changing into something more comfortable. Would the three of them be able to hang out like normal, if Yamaguchi and Yachi started going out? It ached somewhere to think that he could lose his best friend, and the girl he... he thought _wasn't_ so bad after all.

No, nothing like that would happen. Tsukishima took a deep breath in through his nostrils, exhaling softly through his lips. They'd be fine. Sure, the couple would hang out more and more if things went well, but he'd still have his friends.

He sat at his desk, finger pushing the head of the dinosaur bauble on his desk, when his arm brushed over the CD that'd recently arrived in the mail. It was the one Yamaguchi had bought for him, the bribe that he accepted when he chose to withheld the truth from Yachi. A smile flitted across his face and he reached for his pair of headphones, plugging it into his brother's ancient portable CD player, which he found worth the weight to carry on the weight to and from school for the sound quality alone. He relaxed his chin onto his folded arms laid out across his desk, finger prodding the buttons until a song played at random. He'd listened to nearly every song of the remastered album, but the one that started to play first was one he didn't recognize until a few seconds in.

He didn't like it.

But he felt too lazy to turn it, and didn't mind listening through it. He waded through the slow strums of guitar, the steady, unhurried beat of the drum set, the piano playing a soft and simple string of notes. It was by far one of the more _mushier_ songs the band wrote, compared to the others, because it was about a girl, and a moment she and the lead singer shared. He never identified with these kinds of songs, so he never liked them.

However... he started to think of their _date_ today, and not as the unplanned meet up that it was, but as an actual date. He thought of how hard she tried to make it a fun thing for him no matter how apathetic he pretended to be. He thought of her drawing, the large dinosaur footprints she'd stepped into with each hop. The way she patted down the skirt of her dress, how she continually rolled up the sleeves of her cardigan whenever they slipped down her tiny forearms. All the delicious food she made. Her text.

The sweet song was fueling his thoughts further, and soon he was picking apart lyrics and relating them to her, the bright smile she wore painting an incandescent picture in the back of his mind. When the pretty guitar solo came into play, he was reminded of the way she walked in front of him, her fingers linked behind her back, fluffy blond hair bobbing with each step. He thought his heart would _burst_.

What... was this?

He slowly reached up, pushed his headphones off his ears, placed them on the desk before him, then turned off the CD player.

 _How did she become all that he could think about?_

Tsukishima pulled out his homework, a textbook, anything he could use to distract himself. How had he allowed his thoughts to escalate so far? He judged it was the song, which had remained in his head, the volleyball player tapping the end of his pencil to the beat several times before he caught himself.

When he went to bed, he tried filling his thoughts with school tomorrow. With practice. _Definitely_ not thinking about her. And he managed to distract himself for a while, remembering the different plays and positions they'd newly invented as a team, but REM had different plans for him. As soon as he felt consciousness slipping, warmth returned to him in the form of her smile.

The next day before practice was riddled with nerves and unsurety on Tsukishima's part, because he'd felt like he betrayed Yamaguchi in some way by dreaming about his crush, and subconsciously dedicated a song to her while the shorter teen was sick. Yamaguchi declared he was fine as they walked over to the school, and he talked about her visit yesterday, and how good her homemade lunch was, how sweet the shirt was, and how excited she seemed after their time together. Tsukishima played dumb, as if he couldn't understand _why_ she had such a fun time, his only response was, " _You_ take her out next time and just see how fun it is," he grumbled then, but his faux-irritation didn't fool Yamaguchi any, who grinned up at their slight height difference. "That's the plan," he replied, watching something on Tsukishima's face twitch before he was paying attention to the road, huddling in his jacket.

Morning practice came, and Yachi with it, and there was something he dreaded about seeing her. No, it wasn't her fault. He just... didn't want her looking happier with him. So he interacted with her as little as possible, only the essentials, and thankfully enough she was busy collecting balls and filling up water bottles. She was getting better at that, lifting and holding things and not _dropping_ them. Tsukishima turned his attention back to the net, hanging onto Asahi's shirt briefly before they jumped to time the block of Tanaka's spike perfectly.

"GRRAH! _My bad_ ," the blocked teen apologized to those on his side of the net, getting a few 'Next ones' and 'Don't worries'. Kei was riding the high he got with each set, whether he was blocking or watching the ball go over from his side. It was his turn to switch out, jogging over to the sidelines and accepting a towel offered to him without much thought. "Thanks," he panted into the towel, earning a quiet, "You're welcome."

His eyes fell down to his upperclassman, or upperclass _woman_ , he should say, as she kept her eyes focused on the game. Shimizu was _definitely_ sexy when she wasn't even trying to be, though Kei knew he had no chance with her, and probably _wouldn't_ take that chance if it ever came to be. The point was... there were so many other girls. Ignoring Yachi and finding someone else should've been easy enough, but... the problem was, in all this time, he'd _tried_ seeing someone else.

"Shimizu senpai." He couldn't remember the last time he'd called out to her, or if he ever had. She looked up at him, equally surprised, until he shifted his weight onto one foot and leaned toward her, voice hushed. "Is there someone you like?"

Her expression softened, thoughtful, and her eyes flickered toward the game and back. "Yes."

So even _she_ , who seemed so unapproachable, had someone she liked, and maybe thought and worried about them. He settled back before Nishinoya or Tanaka could notice the interaction, because they'd be annoying and he didn't want any unnecessary attention drawn toward him. "So, you think about them even when they're not there?"

She relaxed, grateful he seemed to be curious about love itself, and not _her_. " _Especially_ when they're not there," her fingers tightened along the clipboard she held, paying attention to the game after a few moments of silence.

"You, Tsukishima?" She asked, earning a glance from him, which they shared until she asked her next question. "... Is there someone _you_ like?"

" _Shi-Shimizu senpai!"_ squeaked suddenly from behind them, holding out a few papers for Shimizu to add to her clipboard after their Coach had reviewed them. Both Tsukishima and the manager turned toward her, seeing her eyes directed toward the floor, her hand trembling. "Ah, Ukai-san's finished with these? Thank you." The older girl took them easily, neatly fitting them onto the clipboard, while Tsukishima quickly turned away from her, focusing back on the game, ending the conversation between them. How much did she hear? He didn't say anything weird, did he?

She seemed to flit through the rest of practice with nervous energy, until they were changing for class. All through class he sat folding over the paper airplane Yamaguchi had made, with her name written over it countless times. Were Yachi and Yamaguchi going out now? Or were they waiting to get to know each other? Did Yachi really like him?

Because he'd support them. Whatever stupid things he felt wouldn't change the fact that he cared more about his friend's happiness.

"This is ridiculous, by the way." Tsukishima handed the airplane back to Yamaguchi, who brightened immediately as if he'd been missing it. "This is my best one!"

"... You've made more than one. _Great_. And _when_ are you going to show her all of these?" He asked curiously, stopping in front of her classroom.

Yamaguchi seriously thought about it, then stuffed the airplane carefully into his pocket. "Maybe down the line. Hey, where're you going, Tsukki?"

"- - to leave you two alone, obviously." He called back, turning just in time to nearly bump into the single ponytailed girl. The two stopped, Yachi looking upward hopefully, and Tsukishima spoke before she could. "Yamaguchi's waiting back there to eat lunch with you." And he left her, his strides at an unforgiving pace where her little legs wouldn't be able to keep up.

And so, he started to treat her like he did before. 'Yes's, 'No's, 'Thank you's and 'No thank you's. She was Karasuno's assistant manager, occasional study buddy, and Yamaguchi's potential girlfriend. Even if he was avoiding her during lunch and practice, Yamaguchi seemed intent on making up for the loss by telling Tsukki all the funny things she said and did, and how pretty she was, and all these little quirks that Tsukishima already knew. He feigned a lack of interest, but inside he was boiling. Suppressing these kinds of feelings and shutting her down every chance he got wasn't working as well as he thought it would.

"Tsukishima." His homeroom teacher, an advisor for the Art Club, nodded his head toward a stack of notebooks. "You're on duty today, right? Bring these to the art room for me. Thanks." Not really left with any kind of choice, Tsukishima was leaving a half eaten lunch on his desk to obey his teacher. Yamaguchi was already long gone, probably eating with Yachi in a secluded spot for just the two of them.

Damn Yamaguchi.

The burden in his arms helped distract him all the way into the empty art room, sliding the door open with one foot and kicking it closed behind him, hurrying to deposit the heavy stack onto the nearby desk. He sighed and rubbed the inside of his elbows, looking around. There were some easels, a Greek bust, a few works on the wall, some fruit on a table; your average art room. The first thought that came to his mind was Yachi, of course; Yamaguchi said she'd used to be in the art club before she became the assistant manager, and even at that sometimes she came during lunch to draw. So, naturally, he started browsing the student files in the cupboard underneath the window, until he reached the 'Y's. He found a sketchbook with her name on it.

He pulled it out, leaning against the counter top, the sun shining through the window behind him and onto his back. Nothing weird about going through her sketchbook, right? He didn't expect much of anything, other than a few bowls of fruit or some landscapes. The first few pages were random faces, some designs, the pond near the school. The next consisted of figures in motion, and on the third pages of those he realized the featureless figures were playing volleyball. Hinata made a cameo then, his bright smile as annoying as ever, his monstrously high jump accurately drawn by the jittery girl.

And then, the sketchbook started taking on a very different note.

He slowly scanned over each page, feeling warmth settle in his gut, an embarrassed scowl settling over his features.

Why were all these drawings of _him_?

The sketches mostly consisted of his face, eyebrows pulled in tight, eyes narrowed in concentration behind his glasses. Then there were poses of him standing in his volleyball uniform or gym clothes, waiting to be on the court, or in position in front of the net, hands out. The curve of his fingers as he blocked a ball. Lots of sketches of his broad back were made. One where he used a hand towel to wick the sweat from his brow, his t-shirt lightly clinging to his body. Another in his gakuran, headphones on, a book open in front of him as he sat at his desk. Tsukishima felt like his gut was burning. Is this how she saw him? He kept watching, waiting for an end to the sketches of him, interrupted infrequently by other things she sketched. But it was back to him before he knew it.

He was briefly reminded of Yamaguchi and his _Yachi_ airplanes.

The last pages he found were sketches of their time at the museum. His outfit that he wore, the grin he held for her, his face drawn up close. Dinosaur tracks and the head of a T-Rex were all drawn so accurately it was as if he was relieving it from her perspective.

" _Tsukishima-kun!"_ His gaze tore up from the sketchbook in his hands, seeing Yachi in the doorway and how her entire body seemed to shake. She stood as still as she could, eyes glued to the book in his hands. It'd been a good two weeks since they'd been alone together.

He smirked on reflex. She choked on a cry, quickly closing the distance between them to take back her sketchbook. He was done with it, but by the time she extended her hand for it he felt like holding it out of her reach. He relinquished it instead, because she looked pretty mortified and embarrassed enough.

She held the notebook to her chest, so tightly that her knuckles turned white. His smirk fell, his hands along with it.

"... Why so many of _me_?" He found himself asking, eyes on her face as she kept her own gaze low. She seemed to wrestle with finding an answer. Her eyes met his for a brief second, and the shock left her, replaced quickly with pink dusting over her cheeks. "W-Well, I guess I've been... trying to figure you out." She seemed a little calmer as she started to guide the sketchbook back into her cubby space, Tsukishima remaining still as her wrist touched the outside of his leg as she reached.

She pulled back, and her eyes slowly raised to meet his. She mustered all of her bravery into a frown, doing her best to meet him head on. "I'm... _kinda_ angry that you looked without asking." Her hands were on her hips as she tried to enforce her position.

Tsukishima released a sigh in what sounded like a soft scoff, with no venom in it as he leaned back, elbows on the counter top. "I'm _sorry_." His voice held a bit of remorse, but at the same time it still sounded like he'd do it all over again if he had the chance. "There. Happy?"

It didn't seem like it. She shook her head and lowered her gaze, as if frustrated that he wasn't taking her seriously. A beat, her arms folded across her chest, one hip cocked in thought. He felt his knees turn to jelly.

"No. Umn. To make it up for me, I want you to... to..." She had it on the tip of her tongue, but she fiddled nervously with it. " _Pose_. For me."

He nearly slumped off the counter in surprised, quickly picking himself up into standing straight. He fixed his glasses, momentarily caught off guard, a rare sight for Yachi. " _What_? Like, while you draw?"

She nodded her head, fingers locking in front of her as she looked down, battling with her nerves and her determination.

"Not naked or anything?"

Yachi's face lit up like a lantern, and without saying anything shook her head.

Tsukishima thought about it, and how there wasn't really any harm in it. He'd be on the awkward end of her stare, but something told him it'd be just as fun as when they were at the museum.

" _This Sunday_. We'll do it at _your_ place." He walked past her toward the door, but her little indignant cry of surprise stopped him.

"Ehh?! B-But, I wanted to draw you in your... room." He turned to look at her over his shoulder, her fingers now swirling over a button on her shirt, a nervous habit of hers that he knew well. "Is that... not okay?"

He thought of his mother or brother being home, annoying the Hell out of him for bringing a girl. He thought of Yamaguchi, who'd most likely be jealous that she even _drew_ him so many times. He thought of himself and Yachi, alone together in his room.

"It's okay."

Only, it _wasn't_ okay. He was _fucked_.

She looked happy all throughout the rest of the day and practice, to the point where the dullest member of their team, Kageyama, acknowledged her spacey, bright attitude. Freaking _flowers and hearts_ were practically emanating from the teenage girl, blooming on top of her sweet, little head.

"I wonder what's got her so happy." Yamaguchi sighed, leaning on the ball bin, smile goofy. "I wish it was _me_."

That struck the taller teen as odd. " _Speaking_ of you... how's it going with her?" Tsukishima stood near his friend, who picked himself up from the sports equipment, the impression of a volleyball's lines on his face. "Oh, it's uhh... going okay. _"_

He finally turned all his attention to the freckled teen, wondering why he sounded so nervous. "Is it? You guys hang out plenty at lunch. I thought there'd be more development by now." Tsukishima hated to say it, but it was true. Since their 'date', Yamaguchi had spent more time with Yachi than Tsukishima had.

Yamaguchi picked up a ball with both hands, looking down toward it. He said it so casually and effortlessly that Tsukishima almost hadn't noticed it. "Well, it's kinda hard to develop _anything_ when she likes someone else." And then he looked up, meeting Tsukishima's gaze.

 _No_.

He didn't expect this to happen here. This confrontation was supposed to happen longer down the line, when things were getting serious and the both of them were already in too deep. When for once, it became really difficult to choose between a childhood friend and a special girl. All of the tension in Tsukishima's body left him at the sight of his friend's smile. _Damn Yamaguchi_.

"How long have you known?" He asked under his breath, watching Yachi and Hinata interact across from them.

"Since the study group, when you and the others left before me." Tsukishima recalled the state Yamaguchi when he came out of the apartment alone, the look on his face before it melted into happiness. Was it all fake? What was going on?

"I told her how I felt about her. Then _she_ told me how she felt about _you_." Yamaguchi huffed, and Tsukishima frowned.

"What the Hell was she thinking?! Telling a guy that she likes his best friend - - " The blond cut himself off, wrestling between anger for his friend and embarrassment of what was turning out to be something perfect. Yamaguchi smiled again.

"See, I love Yachi... but I mean, I love Tsukki _too,_ " he confessed, smiling sheepishly, but so bright that Tsukishima had to resist looking away. "She wanted to cherish you, and I knew she wasn't going to see me like that anytime soon, so... I offered to help her. Since I know you best and all."

Tsukishima felt the pain in his chest spike, feeling something of a lump in his throat as he listened. "What do you... _mean_ she wasn't going to see you like _that_? Shouldn't you have tried?"

"Nope. Seriously, there's no way." Yamaguchi seemed confident in this, a cheeky grin spreading on his face. "You see the drawings yet?"

Tsukishima jolted.

"Yep, you have." Yamaguchi delighted in the disappearance of his friend's haughty exterior. "You're really gonna be a sadist and tell me that I have a chance with her?" he asked exasperatedly, Tsukishima's lips thinning into a line.

"Of _course_." Why shouldn't Yamaguchi? He was good looking in his own right, and his personality was loads better than his own. "You had more of a chance than anyone. You're good with girls. You're..." Tsukishima's eyes shifted around impatiently, " _Gentle,_ " the other mumbled, thinking back to all the interactions he himself'd had with other people, how he always gave them the cold shoulder if he wasn't interested. But Yamaguchi was _always_ polite, he picked up the slack for the standoffish teen. So why _wouldn't_ a girl like Yachi give him the time of day? Tsukishima really thought he'd been alienating the other two away from him, that things had been working out behind the scenes. So why was Yamaguchi saying these things?

"You're my friend, Tsukki. She is, too. If there was any chance of you two being happy together... well, you'd do the same for me."

Tsukishima hated this. He hated how good of a friend Yamaguchi was. It made himself feel terrible. "I wouldn't," he objected stubbornly, forgetting about practice and Yachi and everything other than he and his best friend.

Yamaguchi grinned, seeing past all that. "You _would_. Like you tried to do on the date. If I showed up, you wouldn't have had any reason to go, right?" He planned this. Whether or not she knew the sacrifice Yamaguchi was making, he'd done it right from the beginning. "And you've been leaving us alone at lunch. I want that to _stop_." He pulled his hand back and slammed it hard on Tsukishima's back, bumping him forward. Before Tsukishima could complain, Yamaguchi was challenging him.

"Don't worry about me and just _go_ _for it_."

And all the pressure and the guilt rolled off of Tsukishima in waves. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to breathe like this. When was the last time he felt so good about something?

"Unless you really don't want to date her, 'cause I won't force you." Yamaguchi added, watching his friend's imminent relief.

"No, I want her," Tsukishima replied fairly quickly, feeling the courage and all the feelings he'd been suppressing welling up within him.

"It's the first time I've ever wanted anyone for my own."

Yamaguchi hadn't expected that, and when he heard it, he felt something break inside him. With this, he could let her go. He could let _him_ go. He could be happy for them, and not hide behind a forced smile.

"Good." Yamaguchi patted Tsukishima's back, softer this time, feeling the warmth leave his hand as Tsukishima approached the court and left him.

Come Sunday, Tsukishima would tell her how he felt.

On Sunday, Tsukishima woke up earlier than usual and stared at his phone's clock, wondering if he should dress nicely or clean up his room. But then his brother would _know_ something was up. And forget asking Akiteru to _leave_ , god forbid. Kei'd never hear the end of it.

So he tidied up, a _little_. There were a few groups in posters on the walls, a few dinosaur models he and Yamaguchi patched up together when they were younger. His desk had a few books on top, his bed was made. Thinking about her being in his room only messed with his heart further. What were you supposed to _do_ with the girl you liked, when you had feelings you couldn't suppress, when thinking of her smaller hands on you drove you up the wall?

He came down, dressed in a plain shirt and some jeans. Casual, nothing remarkable. But he sat at the table for who knows how long, his fingers jittery on the counter top as if he were playing some imaginary piano, his eyes constantly flicking up toward the kitchen clock.

Akiteru came into the kitchen, looking very curious. Tsukishima tensed.

"Who's coming over?"

Tsukishima relaxed, knowing he had to play it cool. "Just Yachi, from volleyball club." There, honesty's the best policy.

His brother's face brightened immediately, "Oh wow _._ _Just Yachi_. And I assume you guys are just _hanging out_?" Tsukishima looked skeptical as his brother added, "No romantic undertones?"

"No. Don't be _weird,"_ The younger defended, before the doorbell rang and he rose rather _un_ calmly out of his seat. "That's - - That's her. I gotta answer it." Akiteru watched his younger brother scramble to the door, reminded of a younger Kei who was excited to have Yamaguchi over for the first time. Beneath that cool exterior, Akiteru knew his younger brother well, and he wondered briefly if she'd come to learn about him and love him too.

By the time Akiteru had joined his little brother, she was on the other side of the door, greeting her brother. "Tsukishima-kun, 'llo!" She held an offering in the shape of a tupperware, with what looked like cookies stacked inside. Before Tsukishima could properly respond or even look at her, Akiteru was hanging off his shoulder, eyes taking her startled reaction in.

"O-Oh! Your older brother! It's been a-awhile." She honestly looked surprised, the little thing, bowing her head politely as Akiteru grinned in amusement. "Yachi-san, come on in. I'll make tea." He released his younger brother after receiving a shove, leaving the two teenagers in the doorway. His eyes fell down the way she'd styled her hair, her soft, fluffy tufts in a messy ponytail, his eyes falling to the sweater she wore, hugging the subtle curves of her figure, then the white shorts below that, her black tights underneath.

"... _He's_ why I suggested your place, by the way." He finally spoke, stepping aside to let her in. She shook her head, smiling fondly into the house as the door was shut behind her. "Not at all! He's very nice~" But then again, Yachi _was_ the type to see good in everyone.

So Yachi took a seat at their kitchen table, the same one Tsukishima had been sitting in previous. She probably wouldn't know, but he did, and it was enough to make his gut boil. Her dainty looking fingers wrestled with the top of the tupperware. He wanted her. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking up at him. _He wanted her._

Akiteru set the cup of tea down in front of her, gently, then carelessly slid Kei's cup across the table, where the middle blocker had to catch it to stop its momentum. "Thanks!" she chirped, offering the opened container of sweets and pushing it toward them, as Akiteru took his seat with his own cup. "P-Please have some cookies!" The girl added, her head bobbing nervously. Tsukishima wasn't interested in cookies or small talk, but dragging her upstairs straight away would be too obvious. So he calmly reached forward, taking out one cookie and examining its shape.

"Ah! That one's a stegosaurus." She informed as she held her cup, watching him intently. The one Aki was picking up was also named, "And that's a ba… 'B'? I think it starts with a 'B'… haha, there are so many names, I forgot."

"Brachiosaurus," Kei finished for her, as he took a bite of his stegosaurus, his eyes a darker pitch than they had been before. She smiled at him, her cheeks glowing. "Mhm! That's right."

Aki was all grins watching the two shy teens interact, eating the cookie and making conversation. "So, what brings you over today, Yachi?"

She'd paused before she'd taken a bite out of her own cookie, letting it ease down a bit as she cast a glance over to Tsukishima. _Suspicious_. "Studying," she replied as coolly as she could, nibbling on her cookie. Sweet fucking _fuck_.

"Oh _really_?" The tone in his voice had Kei looking over at his brother, all trust devoid in his expression. "That's not what _Kei_ told me."

Yachi's face quickly filled with color, showing Kei an expression between betrayal and mortification. He rolled his eyes and swallowed a bite before replying, "I didn't tell him anything. He's kidding." Then she looked even more embarrassed being caught in her lie, staring down at her half eaten cookie like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He wanted to join her in that hole but for a completely different reason.

"That's an interesting face you made, though," smiled Akiteru, standing up from the table after finishing his cookie and drink. "I'll let you _study_. Thanks for the cookies, Yachi~ It was nice to see you again." That same, brotherly grin directed toward her, and he was heading into the living room, switching on the television as he sat down on the sofa.

Kei drank some of his tea, a sigh escaping him as Yachi finally pulled out of her embarrassed daze. "We can still try your place," he murmured, watching her shake her head and smile so lightheartedly. Just where did she get all that brightness? "It's no biggie! Though, he really does like to… tease, doesn't he?"

 _It's in the family_ , Tsukishima concurred to himself, nodding his head as the two ate quietly.

By the time Yachi was finally following him up to his room, Tsukishima wasn't sure what he'd do with all of the excitement he felt. When in doubt, he'd probably internalize it all. She seemed to be doing no better than he was, holding her bag tightly to her chest as she poked her head into the room, lips parted as she scanned its contents. He wanted to make fun of her awe, but she was adorable and he wasn't going to ruin the mood by being a jackass. Instead, he closed the door behind her with a gentle click, standing beside her.

"So. How do you want me?" Even as it came out, he knew how dirty it sounded, but didn't hold back on the lowered tone of his voice. Her face flushed.

"Um, w-what?"

Now he was embarrassed for baiting her. He scratched the back of his head. "To pose?"

" _Ohh_." Her little shoulders slumped, and for a split second she looked relieved, before her hand gestured all around the room. "I-I'm fine with something natural, for now." _Natural?_ his face seemed to say. "Just whatever you usually do!"

"Alright." He looked around himself, deciding to make himself busy rather than sit their awkwardly, since she was fine with it being _natural. "_ Then, you take the chair. I'll sit on my bed." He'd never be able to relax if she was on his bed. He pulled off a few items from his desk, his headphones, mini-CD player, and a book, before crawling onto the bed. Tsukishima scooted across the bed until his back was against the wall, knees bent as he slid on the head phones and started opening his book. Yachi still hadn't taken her eyes off him, even as she sat down and found her sketchbook and pencil through touch alone. As soon as the CD player came on, it was playing her song. It'd been stuck on repeat for awhile, and he felt a little self conscious listening to it in front of her, even if she couldn't really hear it. So he took it off repeat and started listening to the rest of the album, seeing her hand work out of the corner of his eye.

This was a little less exciting than he thought it'd be.

But soon enough he was becoming used to her gaze, and he relaxed underneath it. His arm extended over one knee, while the other nurtured his book, and he was losing himself in the music and the story.

"Tsuki... Tsukishima-kun?"

How long had it been? He could hear her through the music, looking up before gingerly lifting a headphone from his ear. "Yeah?"

"Can I try a different angle?"

"Sure." Everything up till now had been fairly easy, he couldn't see the poses being anything too crazy. She hopped off her chair then, letting her sketchbook plop on the bed before she was crawling on top of it, back toward the wall, until she sat next to Tsukishima. However nervous she felt, she still had her courage about her, enough to start sketching again, this time from the new closeness they shared.

Tsukishima grinned, shoving his headphones down around his neck. "You can't see me fine from over there?" He teased, watching her screw up somehow and quickly erase it. "W-Well, I wanted a closer look at your hands, to be honest." Her eyes pointedly gazed down and he followed it, setting his book aside to hold out his hand for her. "Perfect!" She chirped, quickly scribbling down the outline before filling it in. They were close now, enough so that he could lean over and see what she'd drawn so far. Him sitting on a bed. And now, a hand that was starting to look very much like his own. "That's pretty good," he felt himself saying, watching as she nuzzled her head a little lower, laughing skittishly. "I'm a beginner, but... drawing _you_ 's always been a fun challenge for me."

Was that all it was? Tsukishima didn't ask.

Once she was finished drawing, she gave a few looks between her hand and the page, before she was reaching over to manipulate his hand into a different pose. His eyes were on hers, and then her small fingers as they brushed over his coarse palm, leaving him when she started to draw again. There was some more silence, and she broke it by nodding toward his head set. "What were you listening to?"

He picked up one side of it and pressed it to his ear, before bringing it back down. "Just this one band I like. They recently remastered a bunch of their songs, so."

"Mind if I take a listen?" She'd put down her pencil just as he'd relinquished the device from around his neck, gently fitting it over her smaller ears and adjusting the top of it so that it'd fit her head. He took a little longer than he needed, careful not to pinch any of her hair in the headset, and letting his fingers brush needlessly through her hair. Yep, just as soft as he thought it'd be. Her smile broadened as he released his hands, and she was listening with a few nods of her head to the beat. Was she really enjoying it? He watched her face then found something else to do, pick up a book, anything other than ogle her.

"Oh, the song changed," she mumbled out loud, which had him looking down at the track number on the CD player, and recognizing it with a grimace.

It was her song.

She looked visibly surprised that it wasn't as quick as the others, and he watched her body melt into the new rhythm, until he was sure the singer was telling her the story about the girl he liked, and her smile seemed to be stuck on her face. "This one's really pretty!" She spoke loudly, sinking back against the wall as she picked up her pencil again, keeping her eyes on the paper. He didn't have the heart to tell her she was shouting, he didn't have the capacity to do anything really, except watch her respond.

He took a leap, then.

Tsukishima leaned down, his fingers carefully extracting the ear piece of the headset from her ear, replacing the sound with his own voice, low and thick.

"Whenever this plays... I think about you."

And he quickly replaced the cushion over her ear, backing his face up to watch her complexion turn about a dozen shades darker. Her hands haphazardly clapped over her burning cheeks, as if she wasn't sure what to do with them. It was probably the corniest thing he'd ever admitted aloud, to himself or anyone else, but she didn't seem to adversely react to it and that was all he cared about.

"W-Wow! _Wow_." She looked like she was still listening, but more worry was evident, and embarrassment, and with shifting eyes she wasn't sure whether he was teasing her or not. The sketchbook and pencil on her lap had been long forgotten, her eyes darting along her small, covered toes as she listened to the lyrics.

He knew the guitar solo was coming up, and his hands slid over hers, cupping her cheeks as he dipped his face close to hers, pressing their lips together.

A sound she made buzzed against his lips and his pliant lips went firm against hers, feeling just how soft she was, and how she trembled, and how her head seemed to tilt back ever so slightly.

He could hear the solo droning from the headphones as he kissed her, their hands slipping collectively into her lap until it was just their lips in close proximity, the both of them unsure but now she was _definitely_ pressing herself back into him, and her smaller fingers were nervously threading into the spaces between his own. He couldn't bare to open his eyes because he was scared of wanting her even more than he already did.

The song resumed and his tongue licked slowly along her bottom lip, and it shocked her so much that her head slipped back into the wall in a large smack, her hands flying from his to rub the sore spot. "O-Ow!"

His eyes blinked open from behind his glasses and he quickly realized the situation, grimacing apologetically. "God, _here_ , let me - - " His fingers were slowly swirling that spot on the back of her head that had the pain dissolving from her expression, and soon her hands were pulling off the headphones.

"We just - - we just _kissed_ , Tsukishima-kun!"

He fought the urge to roll his eyes. And then he did it anyway because she sounded so surprised. "Yeah. And somehow you managed to get hurt."

"I-I know. _Ngh_. I'm bad at this kinda stuff but, _Tsukishima_ _-kun_ , you're so - - _good_ at this." Her eyes seemed to sparkle, and he dropped his hand from the back of her head with a little laugh.

They sat there like that, him basically hovering over her and in her space, before he realized himself and sat back against the wall like a good boy.

"Did you... really mean what you said back there?" She asked then, her finger absentmindedly touching her bottom lip, thinking to when he'd kissed it. "You think of me when you hear such a pretty song?"

It was a prickly, rush of heat that spread over his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "Why would I say it if I didn't mean it?" He growled, embarrassed, pretending to fix his glasses so that he could cover his face.

"Ah! S-Stay like that - - **don't** move a muscle!" Yachi's knees came up and her sketchbook along with it, scrambling with her pencil to catch him looking so vulnerable. He wasn't having it.

" _Tch - -_ you are _not_ drawing me like this." He tried slapping the sketchbook out of her hands but she turned toward him and all but shoved her feet in his face, his hands catching them and grasping as he tried to advance forward, making her fall on her back clutching the sketchbook, her head landing coincidentally on a pillow. And he just happened to be holding her legs up, sitting up on his knees between them.

" _Jeeeez_ , Tsukishima-kun~" Her reddened face hid beneath her sketchbook and he released her legs quickly, a broken and undignified, " _STOP_!" ripping from his throat. He'd never felt so flustered in his life, and she wasn't making this any better.

She started shaking then, and he fixed his glasses for real this time because he was concerned, only to see that she was indeed laughing. Her body trembled with the happy giggle fit that ensued, and for once he didn't mind if someone laughed at his expense because she was _adorable_.

Once she'd calmed down, she was slowly picking herself up off the bed and plopping down on her butt once more, submitting to their draw by leaving her sketchbook at her feet.

"I really r... _r_ _eally_ like you." She told him, finally, as her fingers found the top of her knees, unhurriedly picking at the material of her tights.

He let the confession sink in, and his eyes trailed down to meet hers as they sat there. "I really like you _too,_ " he replied, finally, watching her face wear all sorts of happiness that still left him on edge.

"And I liked your kiss." Another hair needed brushing over her ear, and she attempted it with one touch of her finger, but it slipped out of place again. "That was nice," she rushed, looking hopefully at the boy who had the power to give her another _very_ nice kiss.

His hand reached for her face this time, properly tucking her hair behind her ear. "Nice enough to try it again?" he asked.

She bunched up then, her eyes squinted shut, and her small lips puckered in what he assumed was her bracing herself for the next one.

"Just _try_ not to hit your head again, 'kay?"


	4. Fooling Around

The second time they kissed that day, her notebook had been brushed to the side and she was slowly reclining on her back, Tsukishima hovering over her.

She remembered how sure his lips felt, and his hands as they cupped her face, or held her hands. His knees pressed into the bed on either side of her, and she thought her heart would stop each occasional time the inside of his thighs touched her. His thumb brushed underneath her lower lip, fitting perfectly in the groove above her chin, tilting her lips open so his tongue could slowly slip inside. Her eyelids fluttered open, her hands grasping his arms as she felt the calm, steady licks inside, turning something soft and wet inside her.

Her thighs pressed together, as if trying to stop the fire from spreading, but his tongue was rolling experimentally against hers and she lost all control, relaxing into the bed with a sweet, muffled moan, her lashes lowering. Her lips remained parted, feeling his mouth lift off of hers before teasingly dipping in again, making the girl tense each time and practically beg for it with her body, until she was sweetly whining for each kiss he denied her.

And when he did reward her for her patience, the kiss was long and unhurried, opening her mouth further with his own. His hands slid to each side of her face, his thumb stroking up her jawline to her small earlobes, gently tugging as he felt them out. Yachi's hand slipped from the sleeves of his shirt and instead wrapped underneath his arms, bringing his torso closer to hers, until she could just barely feel his chest bump against her own.

The kissing stopped momentarily, and Yachi thought he was _teasing_ her again, but when her eyes opened she realized Tsukishima had been watching her from their close proximity, his face probably a shade of red lighter than hers. His thumb stroked over her cheek and she settled, brushing her face further into his hand.

"Y-You're _really_ good at kissing." She complemented, embarrassed that she herself could do nothing more than react at this point. She could hear a hitch in his breath, which hand one eye closing against his warm palm, the other opening to see the trepidation in his features.

" _Beginner's luck_ , I guess," he replied softly, watching the pure mirth bloom across her face. She was happy to be his first, and it showed by the way she tittered.

Tsukishima's hand swept through her hair, the corner of his lips turning up. "You're getting a _little_ better at it," he murmured, watching her huff in embarrassment. "Not hurtin' myself at least~" she added, her hands nervously sliding over his shoulders and linking around the base of his neck. His hands cupped the sides of her small back and he pressed in for another kiss, the two tightly holding each other. Now she could feel his weight above her, though most of it was centered on his elbows against the bed, she was comfortably smushed underneath him. Yachi felt a _little_ embarrassed, what with her chest flush against him, overly self conscious about how little room there was in between the two. And his _hands_. She could feel the heat from his hands through her sweater, finding her through the material and holding her, slowly dragging down. She wished she wasn't wearing so much clothing. Her eyes peeked open, seeing his brows knotted and his eyes clenched shut.

His lips grazed over her scarlet cheek, kissing it once, then twice. She quickly closed her eyes as he pressed his lips to her throat. Yachi shivered, balling up his shirt in her fingers. The tips of his fingers were definitely peeking underneath the hem of his sweater, like she wouldn't notice.

"I f... feel _hot_ ," she mumbled as his fingers came to a halt at her sides, and something tickled beneath her nose.

"... Yachi, _your_ _nose,_ " He was separating from her very quickly, and she furrowed her brows as she lifted a finger between them, trying to dissuade the tickle away, instead touching wetness and holding it up so she could see. "Eeehh?! I'm _bleeding - -_ oh gosh, when did that happen?!"

Wordlessly he'd pulled a few tissues from a box nearby, pressing them into her nose. She made a choked sound and pressed her own fingers against them, giving Tsukishima the freedom to sit up against the wall. He kept his knees folded, his arms relaxed over them as he watched her collect herself, tilting her head upward as she very slowly sat up.

A few seconds passed in silence. "Do you hate me now?" Her voice sounded nasally, and even Tsukishima found _that_ cute.

"I don't hate you," he replied confidently.

"! Then, you still _like_ me?"

He rested his chin on his hand, eyeing her affectionately from behind the cool facade he tried to play in front of her. "I still like you." As if his feelings would change because of a simple bloody nose.

Yachi fiddled with the end of the tissues, pressing it between her small fingers. "Can we kiss again?"

Tsukishima _laughed_ , and condescending or not, it was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard. "There's no _rush_ , goofball. We'll try again some other time."

 _Some other time_. Yachi happily hung on those words, checking a few times to see if her nose had stopped bleeding. "Maybe next time my nose won't bleed, huh?" She sniffled a few times, and the bleeding had stopped. The blond girl looked up toward Tsukishima, full of hope, but he seemed to give her a smirk that said, _I don't think you can handle anymore_.

Before it became dark, he offered to walk her halfway home. She wasn't sure what to expect at this point; holding hands seemed out of the question, not only because he didn't seem interested, but she was sure her heart would malfunction or her brain would cease to work. So she hugged her bag close, filled with an empty container and new sketches. She happily peeked up at him once in awhile, seeing how he wore his hoodie, his hands stuffed in his pockets coolly.

But inside, he was fiddling with something, and Yachi could sort of tell. She'd gotten very good at _Tsukki-watching_ , if there was such a thing.

"Uhh. _Yachi_." He called her name after their halfway point, the girl giving him her full attention.

His hand stuffed into the curly locks of blond behind him, and he nervously steeled himself to this point. "Would you go out with me?"

Her _world_ spun.

" _Mhm_!" She didn't know why he looked so relieved, there was no chance of her declining, but all the same it had him opening his arms as she ran in for a hug. His hands seemed reluctant as they wrapped around her, but she could feel his grip on her shoulders, unwavering.

They stood like that for a few moments, before he could feel her start to pull away, and his hands slipped from her shoulders to release her. She waved to him, walking on toward her home. Tsukishima tried to memorize the way her body felt in his arms.

Her eagerness from earlier kept him plenty of company that night. He wondered if she'd want to do more than kiss next time, which was a long shot because this was _Yachi_ after all. Did a sexual thought ever pass through her mind? He'd know if it did. Tsukishima could read her like a book.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi walked together in the morning, and the latter talked about this and that as per usual, until the topic was directed toward the two blonds.

"So, any progress with you and Yachi-san? Though, it's only been a day- -"

" _Yeah._ "

Yamaguchi did a couple take, stopping in his tracks dramatically. " _That was fast_! And? What happened?"

The taller teen was at a loss; he didn't want to brag, or show that he was happy, solely because he'd more likely than not stole this girl from Yamaguchi. And no matter how normal Yamaguchi tried to play it, it felt like betrayal. He rubbed underneath his nose, mumbling a little, half out of embarrassment. "We're going out."

"Wha- -?! _You gotta tell me all about it!_ " He couldn't remember the last time Yamaguchi beamed so brightly.

"I _don't_ ," Tsukishima contested, fixing his glasses as Yamaguchi's rough pats on the back ushered him forward.

Yamaguchi frowned. "Ehh? I guess not... it's gonna be lonely without you, though. Having a cute girlfriend."

"It _won't_ be lonely." Tsukishima started to walk again, as if leaving Yamaguchi behind. "I'm not going anywhere."

"GUWAH!" Hinata landed out of his chair in surprise, looking half-scared to death as Yachi hovered over him, pleading with hushes until he quieted down. Even Kageyama was bewildered, "A-Are you okay? Is he threatening you?"

Yachi blushed, waving her hands erratically. "No, Tsukishima-kun isn't doing anything like th-that, honest! I _wanted_ to go out with him! Very much..." So far, telling Hinata and Kageyama about their new relationship had been a failure, and she'd been right to do it during class instead of practice, ensured that it'd rile up the hole team and distract them. Now they were at lunch, and she was increasingly aware of the length it took from Tsukishima's classroom to her own, and how he'd be coming by to pick her up on the way to their spot.

"But I didn't see you guys together during morning practice. It was just like always," Hinata picked himself back up to sit, leaning over the back of his chair with a thoughtful expression on his round little face. "You'd think if he got a girlfriend, he'd be super happy and space out. Or at least _look at you funny_."

"Ah, you see, I'm sure he's happy in his own way," Yachi looked down at the hands in her lap, nodding assuredly to herself. "I don't know if he's big on..." Her voice grew quieter, " _Public_ stuff." But then she looked up, her smile optimistic. "I mean, me neither! I think I'd be too nervous."

"Eehhh?" Hinata cried indignantly. "What a _waaaaste_. What's the point of having a girlfriend if you can't show her off?"

"Dumbass, what do _you_ know about having a girlfriend?" Kageyama's elbow nudged Hinata's shoulder hard, until he was rocking in his seat. "Sh-Shaddup, I know what I'd do if I _had_ one." He folded his arms and stuck out his chin, which Kageyama flicked until Hinata's hands shot out to block him. Yachi thought about this, wondering if there _was_ one proper way to act as a couple, and whether she and Tsukishima fit in that standard. Sure, it'd only been a day since they started, but Tsukishima was as quiet and inattentive as usual around her.

Maybe he was nervous _too_ , she wondered.

"Anyway, Yachi... something just rubs me wrong about that guy." Hinata pouted, after he and Kageyama cooled off a little bit. "He's tall and he's super smart, but... he's kind of a _jerk_." Kageyama snorted in assent.

Yachi's expression faltered, and her lips thinned as her gaze fell into her lap again. "I know he doesn't... get along with some people. He's harder to approach, and... he used to make me feel like I was a nuisance, but," Her eyes squinted shut, and she believed in him with all her heart. "He's really a nice boy. And I like him a _lot_ , so..." her voice trembled, and her cheeks darkened. "Please don't speak badly about him!"

Hinata looked up at Kageyama, and there was still concern there, but they did feel a little bad for constantly berating her, instead of showing her the support she was looking for. "Sorry sorry, Yachi-chan!" The girl looked up, seeing Hinata's bright, accepting smile, and her own heart fluttered with warmth.

"We'll cheer you on~" Hinata held out a closed fist for her, and Kageyama held out his own with a little grunt, and soon she was happily giving them gentle fist bumps.

Steps sounded near them, and an overbearing presence immediately captured Hinata's animal-like instincts, and he struck a defensive pose. When he looked up, it was Tsukishima, who looked like he was trying his damnedest _not_ to glare.

"Yamaguchi and I found a spot. Wanna come?" He invited her and her alone, eyes flickering over to the scowling redhead that vexed him so.

"You better take good care of Yachi! If you make her cry, I'll- -"

"Hi-Hi-Hinata!" Yachi stammered, wanting to defend him again. Tsukishima turned to Yachi, a flare of anger in him. "You _told_ them?"

It startled her _so much_ to see him that angry, and he regretted it the second she flinched and nervously flitted about for an answer. "W-Well, they're my good friends and I... I was just so excited... was that not okay?"

The anger left him as quickly as it'd come. He'd never wanted to make her feel like she had to tone down her own _excitement._ He felt incredibly shitty in that moment, and he checked himself, letting out a small sigh. "... No, of _course_ it's okay." He said more gently, adding an, "I'm sorry I snapped."

Tsukishima _apologetic_?! The looks on Hinata and Kageyama's faces were _priceless_. "Let's go," he urged gently, not wanting to waste anymore time than they had to with the idiots. As if Hinata could tell what he was thinking, he threw a glare over his shoulder. Tsukishima scoffed.

Yachi melted into a smile, seeing as she hadn't crossed some boundary of his. She gave the other two first years a nod, before standing up with her lunch box. "I'll see you two later, okay?" She waved them off as Tsukishima started walking away, and they were headed toward the rooftop to join Yamaguchi.

Maybe the first minute between them was awkward, but once Yamaguchi and Yachi got started on a topic, they could entertain themselves and brighten the atmosphere better than Tsukishima could ever hope to do, and for that he was grateful. He listened as he ate, making the occasional comment to tease them or actually add to the conversation, answering questions and the like. Tsukishima sat in between them, leaning back against the fence of the top floor so that the other two could easily make eye contact as they spoke.

"Yamaguchi-kun, has Tsukishima gone out with anyone else before?"

Tsukishima's eyebrow twitched, and he clearly made a face that read, 'why didn't you just ask _me_?', but Yachi said his name without the -kun honorific, so he was kind of happy.

The freckled teen grinned up the short distance between their faces and shook his head 'no', "But he's been confessed to a _bunch_. Tsukki's super popular."

" _Twice_ isn't a _bunch,"_ Tsukishima argued, Yachi's lips parting in a gasp, thoroughly impressed. " _Twice_. And you're only a first year!"

"Well. Three times now," he smirked, eyeing the smaller blond as realization and embarrassment flooded her face. "Oh. _Me_. That's right."

She looked down at her half eaten food and he followed her gaze, waiting for what'd been on her mind since lunchtime to come out. "Do you like... public stuff?" She asked shakily, making Tsukishima's face pull back a little. Yamaguchi coughed into his hand, unsure as to whether or not he should be here for this.

Did she mean like, _sexual_ stuff? Tsukishima wasn't really a fan of exhibitionism, he'd like to keep Yachi all to himself, but then Tsukishima had to remind himself that she could barely handle a kiss and there's no _way_ she could be talking about doing it in public.

"I mean, stuff like holding hands... a... and hugging, maybe."

There you go.

Tsukishima's eyes centered in front of him and out toward the blue sky, the features of his face kept neutral as he processed it. He _hated_ showy couples, PDA on other people always rubbed him the wrong way. He felt like he'd be a walking hypocrite if he showed Yachi off on his arm. No, it wouldn't be as bad as all that. "Holding hands isn't a big deal. Just... maybe not during practice or school," he suggested quietly, earning a happy nod out of her. Tsukishima's gaze fell toward Yamaguchi. "And maybe when _this guy's_ around...- -"

"Hey! It's fine, Tsukki. You guys shouldn't have to hold back around me!" Yamaguchi probably should've been the last person that had to wade through their mushy bullshit, but he seemed happy to let his friends stay their natural course. "Ah, but _kissing_ would be a little... uncomfortable to sit through." Yamaguchi scratched his cheek nervously, before Yachi quickly assured him that there would be no kissing in public. _Not if she wants a nosebleed_ , he thought to himself, suppressing a grin by eating more. It still looked like Yachi was internally wrestling with something, the glasses-clad male waiting for her to speak up.

"Ah, Tsukishima c-could you hold this for a sec?"

Tsukishima calmly lowered his lunch and held out his open palm, watching her smaller hand open right onto his. Instead of feeling an object he was supposed to hold, he felt her fingers sliding into the spaces between his, until she was holding her hand with a cheeky little grin.

He laughed and squeezed her hand, more amused by her antics than he was nervous about doing something like holding hands in front of Yamaguchi. "Where'd you even _get_ something like that? _Gawd_." He showed no signs of complaining, warming her hand with his own.

"Hinata showed it to me!" She glowed brightly, watching their joined hands. Yamaguchi sputtered a laugh into his hand, while Tsukishima's voice lowered and something about his face scared Yachi.

"Should I be _worried_ about you and this _Hinata person_ holding hands behind my back?" He inquired as if he had no clue exactly who'd taught Yachi the trick that made him so happy. Her thin eyebrows knotted, and she gave him a weird look. "Noo. Tsukishima, you're silly!" _Silly_. Now, he'd never call himself that. But if it made her smile like that, he could live with being called silly.

"Here. Your hand's cold." He brought their joined hands into the pocket of his coat, watching the way her face lit up. "Th-Thanks!"

"Yep, as I thought, there's _way_ too much flirting going on here." Yamaguchi teased, earning a shove from Tsukki, who reminded, "You said we could."

Above all, Yachi seemed happy. It wasn't just holding hands or the occasional hug outside of school; most of her smiles came out of the small things, like eye contact that Tsukishima willed to be longer than just a second, even if he was feeling nervous. She smiled when his fingers twitched to hold hers, and she was able to pick up on it and reach for his hand. She was happy when he tolerated their group study sessions, and when he remained the closest to her every time.

It didn't take long for it to reach the volleyball club, and the two were celebrated with way too much praise and sobbing on Tanaka and Nishinoya-senpai's parts. A few were kind of suspicious, since Tsukishima didn't really _show_ any difference in the way he treated Yachi during practice, but they _did_ all agree that there _was_ something gentler about Tsukishima in his actions and his disposition, now that the two were going out.

The initial shock of their first days together sort of blended into mutual understanding, and the fact that they were together finally sunk in. She came over next Sunday, and the next, introduced to his mother and _reintroduced_ to his brother as his girlfriend. Both family members were happy to have her over, and sometimes Tsukishima thought they were starting to like _her_ a lot more than they liked _him_ , which was verified by every disappointed look he'd received when he returned home without the smaller blond by his side.

And no, they hadn't gone all the way yet. Or even halfway. They hadn't done more than press against each other, really.

Whenever they hung out, it was usually at his place. There was always someone at home with them, and Tsukishima wanted her to feel comfortable. He didn't want to pressure her into anything she wasn't ready for, even if the kisses they shared grew longer and more impatient each time.

Tsukishima _would_ say that she was becoming better at kissing, but every time she'd try to demonstrate, he touched her sensitive ears, or licked a weak spot in her mouth, and she turned into a puddle of reactions. He _liked_ dominating her body and soul, it was invigorating feeling that she couldn't resist him. Still, every time she grew dizzy with breathlessness, he pulled away and kissed around her face to perk her up, making sure she was still all there. He didn't want her nose to spontaneously bleed again, and she was prone to forget to breathe through her nose sometimes, so he tried his best to check himself and make sure he wasn't going too far or too fast.

And then one day, as they were enjoying yet another evening together after practice, she broke the kiss and finally asked him.

"Tsu-Tsukishima-kun!" It was a little abrupt, and from the looks of it she'd been wanting to say this for awhile. Slightly amused, he pulled his face away to get a better look at her. Her soft, round face was very red and _very_ kissable, but he restrained himself since she looked serious. "Yes?" His throat felt scratchy, making his voice lower and raspier.

Her fingers fell to the school issued red ribbon around her collar, and she lightly tugged the ends until the bow loosened. Her fingers trembled as they smoothed the ends over her shirt, self-consciously staring up at him. "Do you... ever want to do more than... just kiss?" It wasn't accusatory, far from it. She sounded uncertain now, wishing she could hide from him, but he saw it all on her face. The unkempt desire for something she wasn't entirely sure about.

His face dipped low, brushing his lips over her nose. He couldn't even tease her at this point because he wanted her a great deal. "Yeah. I do." She seemed to flatten against the bed at that, sighing from in between her lips as he kissed them. "I want it _so much_ ," he reiterated, the girl showing her dazed, inordinately happy smile that she only seemed to make when he was around. Even his voice was close to breaking, so filled with need that he could kick himself for how pathetic he sounded.

"M... Me too," she surprised him yet again, her small face tilting up into his until their lips met, and his body leaned back down over hers, his hands tenderly running up both her sides.

Regretfully, _he_ was the one to interrupt their kiss this time. "My brother's home," he lamented, even as she playfully nipped his jawline.

"It's okay though... isn't it?" She whispered, squeaking lightly as his arms suddenly and tightly wrapped around her smaller frame. He thought about it, really thought about it, before managing to give in to the little restless huffs the squirming girl usually made when she was too excited. He rolled over on his side, his broad back blocking the view of her body from the door. His left arm extended above her head, and the other skimmed over her blouse, using his blunt nails to lightly scratch over her flattened stomach with only the thin, white material between them, making her shiver.

"You have to..." She sought out his glasses as he spoke, gently guiding them off his face only to reach her arm around him, gently placing the black rimmed spectacles on his nearby desk. "You have to be quiet, though. Okay?"

Yachi nodded, despite the thorough blush she wore, lying on her back with her face turned toward him. "I'll be good."

" _Well_ ," Tsukishima murmured into her ear, tickling a giggle out of her with his fingers, "You don't have to be _good_." She nuzzled into his face, squinting her eyes shut because she was embarrassed, feeling his grin against her lips as she kissed them.

He could see her from this close of a distance between them even without his glasses, idly tracing her nose and her cheeks as his mouth moved, and his hand slid over her shirt. She could feel the material of her shirt start to ease open, Yachi ultimately realizing that he'd been thumbing open one button after the other, unnervingly slow. Yachi could only cling to him, her breath quickening in excitement as she broke the kiss to look down as his hands calmly pulled apart her shirt. It seemed like an eternity to her, between the time her blouse opened up, to the time she finally felt his warm, larger hand over her cool skin. His fingers started at her tummy, the touch light enough to get her abdomen tightening, before he dragged them up and her back lifted off the bed, the girl automatically arching into his hand. Her thighs seemed to press together as his fingers slowly approached the start of her chest, skimming over the hill of one breast and squeezing softly, accepting her soft moan of delight into his mouth.

Tsukishima broke the kiss to look downward as he cupped her breast through her brassiere and felt it out, hearing her reluctantly apologize. "S-Sorry th-they're not big." Her breasts were small, but they were _breasts_ , and more importantly, _her_ breasts. Tsukishima continued to palm her breast anyway, loving the mixture of nerves and pleasure on her expression. "I don't care what size they are. _They're perfect_." His fingers tugged at one strap of her bra, easing it down her shoulder, his thumb gently brushing over her skin and dipping underneath the cup that held her breast, until he was peeling it down and revealing one of her small, pink nipples. He stared quietly, feeling exhilarated, turned on, all of the above. She looked so embarrassed she could barely stand it.

"You _still_ okay with this?" he laughed softly at the look on her face, not waiting for her answer before his face moved downward, kissing from the middle of her chest over to her exposed nipple. She remembered to keep herself quiet even when his tongue lapped at the pink bud until it was hard, her sock covered toes shifting over the sheets with nervous energy as he kissed her breast with slow, languid sucks of his lips. Once the area was raised, red and glistening, he replaced the half of her bra and diligently pulled the other side down, taking his time with that breast too as if to say, _'_ _You're going to regret apologizing for your breasts'._

Her fingers slid into his unruly tufts of soft, blond hair, slowly stroking his scalp as he mouthed her nipple, gently sneaking his finger over to the currently neglected one, which had her gasping hotly into the air. His eyes flickered upward, seeing how hard she was biting her lip in her effort to suppress moans. She was a mess, a _cute_ mess, and he wanted to touch her more.

"I want to touch... _lower_ , Yachi... do you understand?" He pulled up her bra straps over her shoulder, watching her helplessly nod and wondering at the same time if she really did understand. Blood was rushing straight to his cock just from the thought of touching her there, though undoubtedly she'd been feeling his semi-erection brushing into her leg the whole time he was teasing her tits.

Tsukishima wanted to see if Yachi was really paying attention, if she really understood... and, well, he felt like being a little _mean_ , too.

"Lift up your skirt for me. So I can see where I'm _touching_."

His eyes were staring into hers, seeing the misty film of inexperienced lust. She frowned, embarrassed, but her fingers slowly found purchase in the edge of her uniform's skirt, and she was pulling it up her thighs, shyly revealing herself to him. Her fingers bunched up the material over her abdomen, his eyes traveling further south to see the matching pair of panties she wore, looking just as silky smooth as her brassiere had.

"Ki... Kiss," she mumbled insecurely, passing a hiccup between them before he complied with her adorable wish, feeling her tongue tentatively roll against his. Finally, his hand was touching her thigh, gently prying them apart, just enough to let his hand pass in with ease. Already, the inside of her thighs were warm and sticky, his finger following a trail of honey that led him right into one leg of her panties. She was _so_ wet, and he was the one to buzz her lips in a moan, spreading the wet spot in her panties with his finger, slowly swirling it around until her pussy _twitched_.

"I-I- _I_!" Her tongue escaped him, and she was pulling back with apprehension, feeling the ghost-like touches of his finger over her clothed cunny. "I get re-really _weh... wet_ ," the way she wrinkled her nose and whispered the word so adorably should've been a crime, "It just kinda _happens_ and I can't really control ii- - _ahh~_ " Tsukishima's finger pressed more firmly against her mound, sweeping down the curve of her girlhood before dragging his finger back up, sucking pink spots onto her neck as she grasped onto his shoulders. "You always get this way when you're with me?" His voice was husky, pulling back to watch her struggle with looking him in the eye as she nodded. "And sometimes when... I... _think_ about you."

" _Fuck,_ " he groaned quietly, blindly reaching for the waistline of her panties and dipping his hand below. His thumb remained on her smooth abdomen as the rest of his fingers swept down over her hairless pussy, cupping her as her hips seemed to shrink down against the bed. His hand greedily followed her, feeling how soft and slippery her lips were for him. She restlessly plopped her head back into the pillow, Tsukishima cradling her face with his unoccupied hand and guiding her in for a searing kiss as he used his middle finger primarily to touch her down below, running up and down her slit, deep into her folds, finding the hardened little nub that had her crying into the space between her lips. For once in his life, Tsukishima felt like he lost control. His finger centered over her clit, running the pad of his finger over it again and again until the direct contact was too much for her and her smaller hands shot down to his wrist, cupping it futilely. "Hhnf! _Tsuukishh-_! ahmn~..." Yachi bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stifle her whines as he mercifully dragged his finger downward, keeping the girl's slit spread apart with his other fingers, while his middle felt around for the flesh to give way.

Even now he assessed for willingness, kissing her forehead and whispering until she nodded in consent, allowing him to press the start of his finger into her entrance. His finger just _barely_ managed to make the cut, because she was so tight, and in a whisper he barely heard she confessed, "Y-Yours... is... _way buh_ -bigger than... mine." His mind was a little muddled, but he made the connection that she was talking about his finger, and his expression brightened, thinking of the precious teen doing this to herself. "Longer too, right?" His voice velvet, sinking into her tight, silky soft warmth as he felt along her walls. Her head bobbed in a nod, and soon he could feel her hands guiding his hand closer, her fingers specifically seeking out his thumb to place over her little button.

He looked down at that, slowly pressing his thumb over her clit, while his finger swirled in, knuckle deep. She begged him for another kiss, her hands slipping over his shoulders and looping around his neck, pulling him in. She could feel her pussy _clenching_ around his finger now, her clit twitching against his thumb, her hips slowly swirling against his hand. Tsukishima briefly feared he'd be cumming in his pants at this rate, just from touching her. He committed to languid, soft, shallow thrusts with his finger, not necessarily trying to stretch her or see how much she could take. This was how he gently explored her body, finding what she liked and straying away from what she didn't seem to like. It felt incredibly personal and intimate, and it drove him to madness with unrivaled need.

He knew she was cumming when her body just locked up, her arms tightening around his shoulders, burying her reddened face into his neck. Her walls squeezed and milked his finger like it'd pump cum deep inside her, and when he tried to pull it out, thinking it'd alleviate her, she tearfully begged him not to, her thighs clenching around his hand. "Wait! Do- _don't_ take it out now, Tsukishima~" How could he say 'no' to _that_?

Letting her ride out her orgasm on his finger, he watched her face caught in perpetual bliss, the rate of her chest rising and falling starting to slow as she caught her breath, her thighs starting to release his hand again. His fingers were messy by the time he pulled them out from her, as he assumed his sheets were, the silly girl finally picking herself back up to realize his fingers dripped down to his wrist. Before she could poke her head around for a tissue, he was already bringing her up to his lips, lapping up her taste with a devilish grin, which turned affectionate and light at the sight of her sputtering.

"Should I... lick _you_ clean, too?" He asked softly, her brows lifting in tired confusion. He leaned in, and whispered all the things he intended to do once his face got in between her legs, and she was quickly shutting that down with eager kisses. "L-Later," she promised, sinking into the bed as she heard that gorgeous laugh spill out of him, watching as his hands started to fix her blouse, taking a few nearby tissues to sweep up the excess nectar from between her thighs. The touch was purely out of intent to clean her, but still, she was reminded of his _own_ problem, still visibly throbbing in his pants. Her eyes were seemingly glued to it, and when he finally followed her gaze, he let out another small laugh.

"I don't have condoms, so..." he explained with a shrug of his shoulders, returning her earlier promise, " _Later_."

She looked a little disappointed, enough so that Tsukishima almost gave in to the urge he felt to touch her again. "B-But I could... just _touch_... like you did for me."

Tsukishima stopped her hand before it neared his clothed hard on, shaking his head gently against her own. "Don't feel pressured just because I did it for you. I _liked_ making you feel good. I don't expect anything in return."

Yachi frowned deeper, smacking his hand away. "I wanna make you feel good _too,_ whether you expect it or not." He remained on his side, exasperatedly staring into her stubbornly set pout. He was wearing their school's dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up past his toned forearms, with his slacks below. Her fingers shied over the outline of his bulge, and his breath trembled momentarily. "Don't you... want me to touch you?" She asked slyly, except she didn't _know_ it was sly, and he had no choice but to answer honestly.

"Yeah. If you're sure you want to." His hands slipped below his waist, slowly plucking his leather belt until it was open, his fingers prying open his button and tugging down his zipper. Her curious touch stopped, momentarily, as he pushed down the hem of his pants, showing off the erection straining in his boxer briefs. Yachi's eyes centered on a darker spot in his underwear, wondering to herself what that was. Surely enough, as he peeled off his underwear, his hard cock bobbed out of it. Her eyes zipped straight to the clear liquid beading at his tip.

Her fingers shyly reached out, the tip smearing over the substance his tip generated. "Did you... already...?" she whispered what Tsukishima thought was an insult, before he remembered that she'd never been with a man, and she had not one bone in her body capable of insulting someone else. "No, that's... _pre_. Like when you get wet, sometimes if guys get excited enough, we drip a little."

She nodded in understanding, her fingers skimming over the tip and spreading his precum down the shaft, making him grunt, which he hid in a small cough. She had another question on her mind, and with a kiss to her burning cheek, he told her to just ask it already. "Do you usually _m-make_ this much?" She asked, trying to figure out just how excited he was, being with her. It wasn't copious amounts, but at the same time he usually didn't let himself get this excited without rubbing one out. He shook his head, watching her small hand trying to close around his girth, barely able to wrap her fingers around it. "It's more than... usual. Which makes _sense_ considering you're..." He trailed off, breathing a soft moan into her ear, "Ngh... you're so _cute_."

Yachi's small body shivered and he could feel it against his own, his arms wrapping around her to hold her close. Her grip slid down his cock and pumped back up, and he sighed softly as she established a rhythm. He didn't have to teach her what to do, at least, letting himself be guided into pleasure by her hand, feeling the pleasure slowly, steadily build up. Was this the same girl that was too shy to talk about _head_? Her face was fixed cutely in concentration, akin to the same look she had when she was drawing, and he cracked a smile, groaning into a chuckle.

"D-Don't laugh!" She broke out of her concentration momentarily, the strokes of her hand becoming sloppier. "It's my first _time_ , and I'm trying my best-"

"No, no, you're doing good," he tried to coax her out of a frown, using his lips to persuade her until her hand resumed the pace, picking up a little when he asked it of her. Her hand made the softest sounds as it repeatedly tugged on his cock, managing to bring him closer to the brink a lot quicker than he'd ever imagined. Her face had stopped looking so tense too, her eyes smoldering over with heated affection, her lips parted, tongue running between them. He wasn't a fan of getting her or the bed messy, releasing his hold on her body only to reach behind them for more tissues, haphazardly knocking the box on the floor afterward, stuffing the tissues between them just in the nick of time. His body went taut, suddenly, his brows furrowing, lips opening in a gasp as he spent himself into the tissues, her hand still milking more out of him, which escaped only with his soft huffs.

She looked amazed as her hand slipped from him, watching as he balled up the used tissue and lowered it calmly into the trash behind him, before fixing his underwear and pants like he'd done it a million times before. "Did it feel good?" She asked straight away, almost as breathless as he was. He looked up, his face lightly dusted over in pink from the arousal. "It felt _really_ good. Best I've ever had."

"Ah!" Her face glowed in pride. "Really?" She inquired happily, succumbing to his sweet embrace once his clothes were fixed, and the two were happily sated.

"Couldn't have done it better myself."


	5. More Fooling Around Freckles

Yachi stood in front of the long mirror in her room, eyes focused on herself, holding up her toothbrush like it'd help her brush her way through battle.

"... See? It's about as long as his. No problem. It'll fit." She looked down at the thin brush, letting her other hand sweep through her damp hair, drying it with the towel around her shoulders. Ever since they'd delved into the sinful depths of mutual masturbation, she couldn't get how he felt in her hand out of her mind. He was big to _her_ standards, and maybe her complete inexperience with other dicks had something to do with it, but she'd been a little worried about how small _she_ was and how big _he_ was.

She lifted the tip of her toothbrush to her lips, eyes dragging up to the reflected image of her face. "Guys like _deepthroat_. That's what the internet said." _And you can always trust the internet, Hitoka_. She huffed at her pessimism, nonetheless shoving the toothbrush in all at once, tickling her gag reflex and making her physically lurch forward, until she was gripping the edges of the mirror and coughing up a storm.

She'd tried to give her toothbrush a blowjob, an inadvertently terrible one, because she'd been anxious. And _why_? Well, she'd _thought_ Tsukishima was still borrowing her shower, so she really didn't think she'd have to explain herself for that.

"You okay?"

Yachi threw her toothbrush down behind her at the speed of light as she turned to face him, features aglow, panting now that her airway was clear.

" _Nothing_! Uhm, I mean... _yes_?" _How much had he seen?_ She gave him a guilty smile, stepping to the side and kicking her toothbrush underneath her bed. Tsukishima's eyes traced over the mirror as he dried his own hair, dressed in a t-shirt and sweats, a comfortable set of pajamas he'd brought from home.

"What did you tell your parents?" Yachi thought she'd change the subject, plopping down onto the edge of her bed. She leaned back and pulled her T-Rex plush into her lap, squeezing the circular stuffed animal in her arms as she watched him approach. "That I was going to be a wonderful hostess?"

"I told them I was at Yamaguchi's."

" _What_? Why?" She was more amused and curious than accusatory, and she wanted to know why he'd chosen to lie to his parents. Her small hands ruffled the towel through her hair, watching him join her on the bed, watching her throat warily as if she'd choke at a moment's notice. She seemed clumsy enough to choke on air. Or a _toothbrush_.

"Telling them I'm staying over at _your place_ tonight is the same as telling them I'm going to fuck you."

She wasn't used to the vulgarity and she flushed, holding her towel over her heated cheeks. " _Oh,_ " she muttered in faint understanding, before watching him scramble.

"Sorry, that just kind of came out," he blurted, reaching for his glasses from where he'd left them, nervously sliding them on, "We don't _have_ to do anything like that. And it wouldn't be _fucking_ \- -" He just kept on saying that _word_ and she couldn't find any room to calm herself. "It'd be a lot more gentle than that. And meaningful." He huffed and looked downward, trying to think of things to redeem himself. She slid her towel from her shoulders, off the short sleeved tee that she wore and onto the desk chair. Then she sat up on her knees and neared him, her hands working his warm towel around his hair, scrubbing out the moisture. "I get what you mean! Really! You don't have to explain yourself," she replied, feeling the shape of his head that she loved to draw, seeing his embarrassed pout from where she worked. She thought he was cool and collected most of the time, but... she really liked when he was flustered, since it was so rare and only around her. It made her feel special.

"Besides, _I_ was kind of hoping we could... do it _too_ , so... you're not the only one thinking about it." Her hands slowed the towel around his hair, pulling it down around his neck as she sat back on her heels, her chest flush against the back of his shoulder. He looked over it, seeing the film of lust gradually setting over her eyes. "I'm not?" He asked despite fully knowing her answer, feeling the firm softness of her chest. He looked down toward it. "Are you not wearing anything underneath that shirt?" _God was this too good to be true._

She shook her head, her nose brushing into his a little as her arms draped around his shoulders. "I thought you'd... wanna _touch them_ again, so I thought it'd be silly to have it on." The more she brushed against him, the more she felt her nipples stiffen, and his body turn rigid along with it. Was she saying all the right things? It seemed that her honesty always excited him, so she hadn't really tried at this point. It seemed like he wasn't able to speak at this point, offering a nod before he was closing the distance between their lips, thrilling her with another breathless kiss that had her submitting herself underneath him on the bed. Soon she was draped over her myriad of decorative pillows and plushies, feeling his body pressing sweetly into hers. She felt his erection dipping into her thigh and she rolled herself up into him, drinking in the grunt that escaped him, offering her own soft sound as she felt her pussy ache for his touch. Her eyes were closed, so she startled when she felt his hand suddenly cup her breast, shivering as he groped it through her shirt, arching up into him.

She was laying on a pillow, and it was definitely uncomfortable, but she really didn't want to ruin the moment. After a few impatient huffs and high-pitched grunts, he finally guessed what the problem was and started to pull the circular plushy from underneath her. She half rolled off of it and back into his arms once he'd removed it, and she opened her eyes with a gasp. "Kei!"

Yachi'd never called him by his first name before, and the effects showed on his fair skin. "W-What?" He managed, discarding the stuffed T-Rex to the side.

"No, that's- -" She looked over toward the stuffed reptile, wincing internally. He was definitely going to think she was crazy now. It was that or pretend that she'd meant to call him by his first name all along. "That's what I... named _him_." She gestured toward the T-Rex that was staring back at them with big eyes. Tsukishima made that funny, perplexed face of his, before he was leaning in, happily. She could tell he was happy, from the way his nostrils subtly flared, the black of his eyes dilating as he stared at her through his glasses. "After _me_?" he asked, stealing another kiss before she could shyly mumble, " _Yeah_." Not knowing how else to hide her embarrassment, she grabbed 'Kei' and hugged it cutely to her chest.

He stared up at her face for all of five seconds, then nodded to himself. "Yep, I'm going to eat you out," he decided then, pulling up her legs over his shoulders as he advanced further down the bed. She gasped again, lifting herself up to watch him. "Waah! Wait, _I_ was supposed to..." She watched his fingers eagerly pull at the waistline of her silk pajama bottoms, revealing just how much she'd really been expecting him tonight. She wasn't wearing any panties either, and it took all that he had not to rip her pajamas off. She could see how hungry he was for her, shuddering as the silky material left her ankles and he was in between them, nudging his face up in between her thighs. Her pillow rose higher over her face, embarrassed by the sight of him so close to her little mound. She watched his lips open and felt that tongue start to taste her in languidly slow rolls from bottom to top. She couldn't handle the heat of his eyes or his tongue on her, quivering on the bed as he kissed her, thinking his name over and over again until their were tears in her eyes. "Tsu- _Tsukishima!_ " She cried, huffing into the pillow as he sucked her hardened little button in between his lips, his hands possessively grabbing her rear and forcing her up against his face. His cheeks were wet from her, dripping down to his chin as he repeatedly tongued her clit agonizingly slow, feeling her hips roll in the subtle movement the more she became used to it.

She'd _really_ wanted to please him this time, but watching his intent concentration on her pussy was too distracting. His tongue ventured lower with a long drag, his nose nuzzling into her clit as he delved his tongue inside her, the same place his fingers had been. Now he was directly dipping into her honey, spreading her with his tongue and making her gasp and writhe. One hand slipped from the pillow, her fingers running through his hair, gingerly guiding him back up toward her clit, unintelligibly moaning _something_ as she rubbed herself up against his face. His cock throbbed heavily in his sweats, undoubtedly staining whatever material rode against his tip. He chuckled against her, and her body melted into the bed. "You... close?" His voice was thick with need, asking her a question he very well knew the answer to. "You're... squeezing around my tongue like _crazy_."

She whimpered, hugging his head closer. "Mhm! _Ah- -_ haah~" She could feel every swipe of his tongue bring her closer and closer to completion, letting _Kei_ slip out of her hands so she could urgently pull his head from between her legs. His eyes seemed to darken in confusion, feeling her ass quiver in his hands as she panted loudly, attempting to gather herself up enough to explain herself. "I... I don't wanna cum alone."

Tsukishima bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to _currently_ cum at the second she flashed him that dazed, blissed-out, tearful look. "No?" She was so adorable, he felt like teasing her more, but he knew he was one word away from dragging those soft little hiccups of a sob out of her. "Maybe we should switch then. C'mere." He let his head slip free of her hands, nestling himself in between her legs as he wrapped his arms around her waist. His lips found hers as he pushed up her shirt, removing it completely before his hands were on her again, positioning himself on the bed with her on his lap. He laid down underneath her, gently guiding her body around on his until her girlhood was directly above him, and he could feel her arms fold over his lower abdomen. He thought he'd have to give her some guidance, but soon enough he felt her fingers plucking at the waistband of his sweats. He lifted his hips to help her, feeling his cock spring from the confines of his bottoms.

Yachi was pretty sure it'd gotten bigger since last time. This was definitely more intimidating than a toothbrush. Her thighs spread over his face and she threw an embarrassed look back over her shoulder before concentrating on him, her demure fingers holding him up by the shaft. Her chest lowered until her breasts squished into his abdomen. She thought she heard a change in his breathing when she'd pressed her lips to the side of his girth. His tongue was quickly accommodating to the taste of her again, hungrily lapping between her pussy lips, and she eagerly used her tongue on him, running the soft, warm, and wet organ up and down the side of his cock. She held him up to her mouth, drooling over the tip as she slowly engulfed it between her lips, sucking it into her small mouth with a pleasured sigh. His hands were on her ass again, lowering the girl further onto him, until he was buried tongue-deep in her entrance again. His tongue slowly swirled inside her and she moaned heavily around his cock, repeating the same action with her own tongue as it swiveled around his thickness once, then twice. She'd barely fit half inside before she was pulling back off of him, drawing labored breaths as she assessed the sheen of saliva over what she'd been able to fit in her mouth. "Hngh... it's all... hot and steamy from the shower, Tsukishima...~" she suckled along the edge, letting his length rest over her soft, burning cheek as she licked her way to his base. She was getting better at jerking him, spreading more of her spit over him, until each pump of her fist was more fluid than the last. His thighs shook beneath her, and the taste of him became headier. _Pre_. Yachi remembered how he'd explained it to her, how it was a result of him being so excited. She let his clear precum drool onto her tongue, sucking slowly to earn more of him down her throat. He groaned her name loudly, his tongue buzzing inside of her before flattening and treating her soft insides to wonderfully long strokes. "W- _Wow_... mmph... there'ss a l-lot coming out~"

The commentary stopped when he started thrusting his tongue in and out of her tight folds, earning little mewls as she gave up on multitasking, settling for riding out the movements of his tongue by grinding down onto it, letting his cock pulse against the inside of her cheek, making it bulge as she dazedly sucked. The both of them were impatiently tasting the other, Tsukishima a little more adept and in control of himself, but nonetheless as every bit impatient. One hand left the comfort of her ass and ventured down south, his fingers grazing over her neck and up her jawline, gently guiding her face further down his cock. She nuzzled into his hand and complied, sweeping more into her mouth until she felt resistance, pulling back only to suck more of him in. He couldn't believe just how willing and eager she was to do something like this, but the feel of her little mouth wrapped around him was more than he could take. His tongue left her sweet cavern as he caught his breath in between her thighs, forcing his hips to stay down. "I think we should- - _guhh_ \- -switch, now. I _need_ to, before I... oh... _ohhfuck_." Her little blond head of hair wiggled as she took more of him in, smoothly bobbing her head and swallowing more of his shaft, making his thigh twitch open. He wanted to cum, but not like this. She was finally starting to feel a little more in control of herself, and she liked the sounds he made because of her. But she lifted her mouth off of him, sitting up on his chest as she looked behind her.

She caught her breath in little pants, wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand. "'kay," she mumbled.

They'd been tracing the edge for so long, neither one of them reaching climax, which made their kissing all the sweeter. She'd found herself underneath him as he slowly stripped himself bare, leaving him just as nude as she'd been, hard where she was soft, his length wet from her mouth as he slid it along her slit. She liked the rhythm of his hips, grinding her lips against his cock, just as he started reaching for a condom. "Hmph... what're you... doing that for?" She'd forgotten what a condom was, or so it seemed when she frowned at the sight of him rolling one on his cock. He looked up at her as his hand worked, eyes smiling behind his glasses. "Protection? So you don't get pregnant." His finger slid over her clit emphatically, and he allowed himself to slip it in past her initial tightness, feeling out the familiarity of her soft, clenching walls. She huffed again, her fingers stroking over her flat tummy.

"Maybe I wouldn't... I wouldn't mind it _so_ much." She muttered cutely, not really thinking of the possible repercussions of being filled by him, only guided by the heat of the moment. He gulped and resisted ripping the condom right off of him. _Boy_ was she dangerous for him.

She managed to think about it a little more, her scarlet features wincing. "S-Sorry; that's a weird thing to say." She corrected herself, shielding her face out of embarrassment. He kissed her hands away, then her lips, his hands guiding her legs around his waist. "No. I thought about it too, it's not weird. I can..." he paused, looking off to the side a little, "I can _easily_ see you having my children."

"Really?" Her expression brightened, her hands positioning themselves over his shoulders as he lined his cock close to her entrance. He nodded embarrassedly, feeling the start of her lips part for his tip. "Maybe... one or two?" He pressed his body harder against hers, until he felt himself slipping inside her tightness, slowly but surely. She tightened instinctively, and she wore pain on her expression. Tsukishima stopped his movements, holding her smaller body in his arms. "Fill you up every night until you're pregnant. Make you mine _completely_... Ghh. _That's_ what I... hn _picture_." He waited for her, even though he could feel himself pulsating inside her and he felt embarrassed, he waited until her body started relaxing before he was sliding deeper inside, feeling something finally give way inside her. Soon he was buried to the hilt, his chest bumping into hers as he watched her face have a difficult time discerning between the pleasure and pain of being filled.

"Relax for me... _yeah_. Yeah. You're doing _so_ good." Tsukishima was exceedingly gentle, pulling at her bottom lip with his teeth to distract her as he pulled out and smushed himself back in, hardly able to move within the tight confines of her wall. It felt _so_ good. She was opening up to him from the inside out, squeezing his cock deliciously with each soft thrust inside. When she started kissing back, he knew she was coming back to him, and even now her hips were starting to rock back into his. He grunted excitedly, keeping the same, slow lull of a pace, but more animatedly moving his body over hers. Her ankles linked behind him, pushing him in deeper, and something bloomed up her body, throwing her head back into the pillow as she felt him stir something deep inside her. He stirred it again, grinding into her sweet spot again. She softly bucked her hips in kind, keening for him to find that spot again. "D-Do that... again... _mmn_... right there, Tsukishima~ Please?"

He teased the sensitive bundle of nerves with the head of his cock, watching her sag submissively into the bed, her lips parted in a breathy groan. "Theere you go... look how much you love it when I grind there..." he couldn't help but whisper. His thumb swept over her hardened little clit, feeling her tighten around him in response. But he never simultaneously rubbed her from the inside and touched her little button, keeping the pleasure rolling in at a dull ache, until she was a trembling, needy mess. She cried for him to make her cum, unsure of what to do with her hands other than hold onto him tighter than she ever had. His hips drew a faster rhythm against her, slapping into her pussy with enough noise to fill her head, making her bashfully hide her face in his neck. "It's s... so _noisy_."

"... Yeah. That's you and me, _connecting_." His hips smacked into hers more sharply and she squealed, drool leaking from her lips and down his neck. He thrust in the same fashion once more, then again, until she was wailing.

He could tell she was cumming from the way her head hit the pillow, her eyes squeezed shut as she spasmed around his cock, before some invisible force swept over her and she was left panting, stunned by the intensity of her own orgasm and how quickly it came. He couldn't resist her anymore, taking hold of her hips and driving himself in deep before unloading it in the condom, each pulse of his cock sending another rope of jizz into the reservoir, all the while she squeezed around him, subconsciously milking the rest out of him. His body was taut with desire, still tense with the aftershocks of finishing inside her. While he was still with it he slowly started pulling out, swiftly tying off the end of his condom once it was off. She watched with interest, following his hand as it tossed the spent contraceptive into the nearby trash. "I'll take it out later," he promised, laying beside her once she pushed pillows off to the side to make room for him. Her body naturally slipped into his, feeling the heat emanate from him in pulses. She loved how warm he was.

"I'm really happy, y'know?" Yachi finally told him once she could speak clearly, looking up at him from the short distance between them. "Because I really love you, Tsukishima!"

He melted into a happy grin, one of the brightest he'd ever worn. "You're seriously _too cute_. Then again, you _do_ practice on toothbrushes in the mirror."

Yachi gasped.

"That was- -I-I was just... brushing my teeth!"

"...Uh-huh."

"You don't... you don't believe me for one second, do you?"

" _Nope_."

* * *

Prologue to Freckles

Yamaguchi shrugged on his jersey jacket and slipped out past the hallway and out of his house. Lately he'd been taking walks like this, trying to clear his head. He wore joggers beneath that clung to his toned, long legs. His hands were in his pockets, hood over his head as he walked with no particular destination in mind. His homework was finished. He'd studied the new plays the Karasuno volleyball team had imagined together. Maybe before he would've considered heading over to Tsukishima's at this point... _but now_... Yamaguchi felt himself smiling at the thought.

He was happy for them. _Really_ , he was!

The dark haired teen started walking more quickly, until he came to a jog. He debated going over to Ukai's for a steamed bun, and thought against it. He was regretting not stopping for a drink, however, when the cold burned his lungs, and he finally stopped for air. He held his hands on his hips, staggering back into a park bench, and immediately regretted _that_ too. The bench was icy cold, and already burning his tush. He thought of getting up, but muttered aloud to himself, "My fate is sealed."

"Tadashi?"

He looked up from his reverie, his hood falling behind him and out of his face as he saw Tsukishima's older brother advancing toward him, looking confused.

"Ah! Akiteru-kun. Hey," Yamaguchi chirped, his expression lightening a little as the blond stepped up to him, close enough that his knees knocked into Yamaguchi's. Akiteru took a step back, laughing. "Sorry- -my contacts aren't in. They were driving me crazy, so I took 'em out. What're you doing here?" That was a leading question. How was Yamaguchi supposed to answer that? "Isn't Kei at your place?"

Yamaguchi straightened himself, now also confused. "Err, _no_. Did he say he was?"

Maybe as an older brother, Akiteru should've been mad that he'd been lied to. "What a little _shit_. I knew he was fibbing. Scooch over so I can sit." Tsukishima _fibbed_? What reason would he have to lie? _Oh_. Yamaguchi looked out in front of him at the park they inhabited, one that wasn't far from Tsukishima's house. Akiteru was snickering a little, easing down the grocery bags he'd been carrying. "Brrr! This thing is _freezing_." Akiteru wiggled on the bench, a man taller than him, and a little wider with muscle, but seemingly more childish than the teen sitting next to him. Yamaguchi smiled; Akiteru always knew how to make him smile. "I didn't know you wore contacts. Why not just go with glasses if they bug you?"

"My face is too round for glasses." Akiteru dropped the bags into one hand, feeling around his face with a small frown. "Can't pull 'em off like Kei."

"No way!" Yamaguchi blurted, tilting his head to the side to imagine them on Akiteru's face. "You'd _definitely_ be able to pull them off."

Akiteru's face inched back a little, and the skin on Yamaguchi's face that _wasn't_ peppered with spots quickly reddened. He looked away, and Akiteru leaned after him, nudging his shoulder. "Thanks, buddy... I, uhh, haven't seen you in a long time. What's up with that?" Akiteru got right to the point, as per usual. Yamaguchi looked away guiltily, thinking back on the latest times he'd denied Tsukishima's offers to hang out. Akiteru watched him, a wearing a knowing smile. "Kinda hard to hang out with the guy that took your girl, huh?"

Yamaguchi's head whipped over too hastily, and he was quickly defending the younger Tsukishima boy. "No, he- -he didn't _take_ her or anything like that. She wasn't really..." He looked down, rolling a pebble underneath his sneaker. "... _Mine_. But still, I'm _totally_ happy for them."

Akiteru gave Yamaguchi a funny look and he reiterated, "No, really. I'm okay with it." Was he still reassuring Akiteru, or was he just reassuring _himself_ , now? He became more quiet, hands in his lap. His throat was dry and itchy, making his voice crack a little. Aki was searching through one of the bags, bringing out some flavored water and wordlessly offering it to Yamaguchi, who gratefully accepted it. He quenched his thirst, in _moderation_ , handing it back and watching Akiteru take a swig from the same bottle his lips had touched. Only _he_ would be weird enough to be self conscious about that. He shrugged his shoulders, meaning to answer Akiteru's earlier question. "I wanted to be a good friend and give 'em space, you know? I know they want to be alone sometimes, so I've been... trying to let them have that." Even though the situation left him somewhat friend-less and _object-of-desire_ -less, he'd wanted to do that for them.

" _God_ you are too pure for this world, Tadashi," sighed Akiteru, giving Yamaguchi that look he gave that always seemed to bore into his soul. "You're such a good kid." He pat down Tadashi's hair, letting his hand rest there.

"A good kid? Nah, that's not me." Yamaguchi confessed slowly, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked up into his friend's brother's amused expression. "I'm _not_." He grasped his hands together, feeling Akiteru's hand pause in his hair. Yamaguchi tried to fight a smile, and a shiver, when Akiteru's hand released Yamaguchi's hair and instead plopped on the back of the bench behind Yamaguchi's shoulders. "Oh _really_? What'd you do, donate to the wrong charity? Plant too many trees?" Akiteru's grin could split anyone's heart if they were lucky enough to receive it, and Yamaguchi was no different, laughing softly. "No, no! I'm _serious_. I'm... not a nice guy."

The taller blond wasn't at all convinced, but he shrugged his shoulders. "Go shoot. How're you _not_ the nicest guy in the whole anime?"

"Well, I..." he looked down between his feet, gingerly taking the water bottle back from Akiteru's hand so he could hold it in his own. "Sometimes, I think about... wanting to go back to how it was before. Before Tsukki andYachi got together." His voice grew quiet, and he found he couldn't look Akiteru in the eye anymore. "I say I'm happy for them and I mean it, but... I really..." Yamaguchi felt Akiteru's hand on his shoulder, and realized his vision was growing blurry. He lifted the back of his hand up to his eyes, rubbing his forearm slowly across them.

"I _really_ didn't want to give her up. _"_

 _I said it_. Something about it liberated Yamaguchi into more tears. Akiteru was holding his shoulder now, protectively.

"I didn't want to give her up, not to Tsukki or _anyone_. But I- -I love Tsukki so _much,_ you know? I'd never wanna- - _nghn_ \- -take his happiness away, y'know?"

"I know," Akiteru admonished softly, his hand gently warming Yamaguchi's arm. The younger male sank into the heat, just a little, and his throaty gasps interrupted his thoughts as he really came to terms with it.

"And I miss my _friend_. I miss it just being the two of us. And there are other times I wonder _if_ , oh _God,_ sometimes I think if Tsukki wasn't there, ma-maybe I'd have a chance with her. I _hate_ thinking it, but I..."

He needed the nonjudgmental warmth Akiteru provided. He needed to voice these thoughts, but there wasn't any way he could do it to Tsukishima or Yachi.

"I-If he knew I... _felt_ this way... _no,_ he can't ever know. If he did, he'd- -"

Akiteru smiled and Yamaguchi heard it in his voice, feeling the squeeze along his shoulder. "I know. You're both good kids, and neither of you want to see the other in pain. Tadashi, you..." Akiteru struggled in silence a little bit, thinking of how he could comfort his little brother's best friend. "You're not as bad as you think you are. Really."

Yamaguchi thought he was the worst friend on Earth and he started to cry more. Akiteru flailed a little bit, not sure how he'd managed to make things worse. "Tadashi, really, it's completely _normal_ to think like that." His hand rested on Yamaguchi's lower back, watching the younger's face lift up a little to peek. "If you _weren't_ the least bit jealous, I'd think you were _crazy_." Akiteru laughed a little, trying to reassure Yamaguchi, who thought about what Akiteru said.

"Changes don't _always_ have to be good. It's okay to miss your friend. And it's _okay_ that you're upset about not ending up with Yachi. I know it doesn't feel that way right now, but..." with a sigh, he reached up and dried a few tears from Yamaguchi's cheeks with his gloved thumbs. "There's nothing wrong with being honest like that. Not with _me_."

This too freed something inside of Yamaguchi, who felt his shoulders figuratively lift once free of burden. "I mean I... don't want to be with Yachi _now_ , but... it did piss me off a little when I found out about them." Yamaguchi nodded sweetly, pulling Akiteru's hand over his face to dry himself some more. Akiteru wasn't complaining as his hand was used, only giving his little smirk. "Yeah. You definitely owe Kei a slug or something."

"Are you _seriously_ encouraging me to punch Tsukki? _Jeez,_ what kind of older brother are you, Akiteru-kun?" Yamaguchi smiled a little bit despite himself, then laughed quietly. Akiteru was more than eager to see Yamaguchi smiling again.

"See? Doesn't feel so bad once you're honest with it, right?" Akiteru gave Yamaguchi a hearty pat on the back. "It'll take time, but you'll be able to move on and find a girl of your own. Well, _another_ girl."

Yamaguchi huffed rather pessimistically into his bangs, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I'm not expecting anything anytime soon. Getting shot down _doesn't exactly_ make me confident."

Yamaguchi really wished he hadn't said anything.

"What on _Earth_ are you talking about? You've got _the looks_. You're tall. Girls _love_ guys on sports teams."

"What _look_ s _?_ All I've got are bug eyes. And zits." Yamaguchi thought about pointing out every flaw he found in himself, but he just decided to emphasize all of him with big arms. Akiteru wasn't having it.

" _Pfft_. There's _nothing_ wrong with your eyes. And no one cares about zits; see, look, I've got this guy on my chin right here." Akiteru pointed toward an insignificantly small red spot on his chin, which Yamaguchi had to squint his eyes to find. He huffed, "That's not even a..."

"Nuh-uh, look, I've got one on my neck too." Akiteru had Yamaguchi laughing until his sides hurt, and then some. He was too silly to become frustrated with.

Akiteru sighed happily, watching his brother's friend- -no, _his_ friend- -laugh so breathlessly. "So, you're on a _really_ cold park bench when you can walk over a few blocks to our house and warm up. What do you say?"

Yamaguchi wiped his eyes again as he beamed at him. "Then your mom'll find out Tsukki lied about being with me. I don't wanna get him in trouble..."

"Don't punish yourself for Kei's stupid lie. If you _want_ to come over, then come over. Whether or not Kei's there, I mean."

It wasn't some hollow, fleeting invitation. It held the depth and brotherly affection that Akiteru was abundant in. Yamaguchi felt warm on that cold bench, feeling it start from his chest and spread outward.

"Maybe I will, then."


End file.
